President Trump on Tuesday knocked the United Nations over escalator and teleprompter malfunctions at the New York headquarters, quipping that the “bad” features are all he received from the international organization.
He began his remarks to the General Assembly by noting that he would be speaking without a teleprompter because it was broken.
“I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working,” Trump said to fellow world leaders. “I feel very happy to be up here with you nevertheless, and that way you speak more from the heart.”
“I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” he said, prompting laughter in the audience.
On their way into the assembly, the escalator inside the United Nations stopped working right after the first lady and president, behind her, stepped onto it. The first lady began the walk up the stationary steps and Trump followed.
He later commented on the escalator, quipping, “all I got from the United Nations was an escalator on the way up that stopped in the middle.”
“If the first lady wasn’t in great shape, she would’ve fallen but she’s in great shape. We’re both in good shape,” he said, prompting laughter. “And then a teleprompter that didn’t work. These are the two things I got from the United Nations — a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter, thank you very much.”
The president also criticized the U.N.’s building renovations and said he had bid $500 million to refurbish the headquarters. He criticized the construction that took place as overpriced and without quality.
“You could have had marble floors, but you walk on terrazzo,” he said.
Following his speech, Trump met with Secretary-General António Guterres, who praised his work toward peace and said the United States’s involvement in the U.N. was “essential.”
Trump said the U.S. was behind the organization, despite his criticism during his combative address.
“It’s always an honor to be here but this was more exciting with the escalator and teleprompter. These things happen,” Trump told Guterres.
“Our country is behind the United Nations 100 percent. I think the potential of the United Nations is incredible. Really incredible. It can do so much. I’m behind it . I may disagree with it sometimes but I am so behind it,” he added.
Trump questioned the purpose of the U.N. in his speech and said the U.N. was contributing to the problem of “uncontrolled migration,” among other criticisms.
