Skip To...
California Governor Gavin Newsom is never one to miss an opportunity to needle Donald Trump, and this week, he went viral for trolling the president in the most unexpected way. After Trump claimed he was the victim of “triple sabotage” during his high-profile United Nations visit, including a dramatic escalator malfunction, Newsom fired back online with a post of his own.
Sharing a photo of a broken escalator at Trump Tower, the California Democrat declared, “A REAL DISGRACE. Escalator was broken at Trump Tower today. I’ve launched an investigation into this matter.” The jab was more than just a cheeky post. It was a calculated swipe at Trump’s growing fixation on the U.N. escalator incident, which he and his team have described as a potential act of deliberate sabotage.
Trump’s Escalator Drama at the U.N.
The trolling stems from Trump’s fiery post earlier this week. In it, he alleged not one, but three sinister plots marred his United Nations appearance. Among them was an escalator that suddenly stopped as he and Melania stepped on to make their way to the speaking floor.
In a lengthy statement, Trump claimed the abrupt halt nearly sent him and the First Lady “face-first” into the metal steps, calling it “absolutely sabotage.” He insisted the event was no accident, citing a supposed London Times report where U.N. staffers joked about turning off escalators.
Adding to the drama, Trump complained that his teleprompter failed for the first 15 minutes of his address and accused officials of cutting off the audio system during his speech. “This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves,” Trump said, vowing to send a formal complaint to Secretary-General António Guterres.
The White House quickly echoed Trump’s concerns. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the malfunction as “potentially deliberate,” warning that anyone responsible should be “fired and investigated immediately.” Appearing on Fox News, Leavitt warned that the incident posed a serious safety risk but offered no evidence to support her sabotage claim.
Newsom’s Escalator Clapback
The U.N., for its part, denied foul play and said there was no indication the incident was intentional. But the explanation did little to quiet Trump’s camp. His team continues to paint the moment as an orchestrated attempt to humiliate the president on the world stage.
That’s where Newsom comes in. The California governor, a frequent Trump critic and rumored 2028 presidential contender, pounced on the moment with a mocking social media post. By sharing a photo of a stopped escalator inside Trump Tower and jokingly announcing an “investigation,” Newsom flipped Trump’s own language back on him. To Trump, a stalled escalator was evidence of a conspiracy at the highest levels of international diplomacy. To Newsom, it was a punchline too good to resist.
