Commentary: Escalator and teleprompter humiliate Trump, so Fox News’ Jesse Watters suggests ‘blowing up’ the U.N.

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Following President Trump’s visit to the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, Fox News host Jesse Watters suggested extreme retaliatory measures, including bombing or gassing the building.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had a rocky start to their appearance at the General Assembly meeting. They found themselves stuck at the bottom of a broken escalator right as they began to ride up. The technical difficulties continued when Trump went to speak and discovered the teleprompter wasn’t working. Undeterred, he delivered an off-the-cuff speech, filled with boasts, threats, references to various international issues, and a promise to end seven wars.

The heartfelt speech didn’t seem to resonate with the world leaders present, particularly when he bluntly stated their nations were failing. I picture Norway quietly commenting to Oman that, at least, their escalators are in good working order.

What one person sees as a simple technical error, another interprets as a deliberate plot, as demonstrated by Watters on Fox News’ “The Five” on Tuesday. He claimed that the problems facing Trump were caused by intentional interference, even going so far as to call these issues “an insurrection.”

Climate & Environment

In a critical speech, President Trump strongly criticized the United Nations and various countries. He claimed the UN delivers only meaningless statements, dismissed climate change as a hoax, and cautioned that allowing unrestricted immigration could harm countries.

Watters jokingly suggested the U.S. should either withdraw from the United Nations or bomb it. His co-hosts, Dana Perino and Greg Gutfeld, reacted with a mix of groans and laughter.

Watters then suggested that because the UN headquarters is located in New York City, there might be consequences there, and he even speculated about the possibility of a gas attack.

“Let’s not do that,” Perino said.

Watters agreed, then suggested, “Alright, but it has to be completely destroyed. Perhaps we could tear down the building – everyone would need to evacuate first, and then we could demolish it.”

He expressed strong disapproval, stating he hoped those responsible would be held accountable and deeply regret their actions.

Hollywood Inc.

SAG-AFTRA and WGA protest the decision to pull the late-night show after FCC chairman’s threats.

These remarks weren’t made by a host known for liberal viewpoints, which likely explains why FCC Chairman Brendan Carr didn’t issue any strong warnings to Fox or Watters, demanding they change their approach or face consequences.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, similar to Monica Watters, suggested the escalator incident at the UN may have been deliberate. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she called for anyone responsible for intentionally stopping the escalator as President and First Lady Biden were using it to be fired and investigated. She also shared an article from The Times of London reporting that UN staff had joked about potentially disabling the escalators and claiming a lack of funds, forcing the President to use the stairs.

And now, everyone’s talking about how Minnesota Governor Tim Walz – who was once considered as a potential Vice President – responded to Leavitt’s post. Walz stated that those responsible should not only be fired, but also fully prosecuted under the law, adding that it’s surprising the President was even able to walk upstairs.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been regularly criticizing Donald Trump’s social media activity. On Tuesday, he focused on a video of Trump slowly and carefully walking up a set of stairs, posting a mocking message on X (formerly Twitter). Newsom’s post read, “Poor Don was beaten by an escalator! The world is laughing at this low-IQ ‘president.’ Next stop: the best room at Memory Meadows retirement resort – Tylenol included. Enjoy your stay, Don!” – GCN.”

Television

Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended by ABC, and the hosts of four late-night talk shows discussed the decision during their monologues and other parts of their programs.

According to Leavitt, the Secret Service is one of the agencies working to solve the mystery of what happened on the escalator.

The person who caused the escalator malfunction might be someone within Trump’s immediate team, not an outside agitator as some believed. A spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres suggests Trump’s own videographer may have accidentally jammed the escalator by running ahead of the president, which could have activated a safety feature.

According to reports, the White House controlled the teleprompter during the president’s speech at the U.N. Sources told the Associated Press, The Daily Beast, and ABC News that visiting delegations are permitted to bring their own equipment and operators. This meant the U.N. wasn’t responsible for running the teleprompter, and White House staff-along with their own laptop-operated it during the president’s address. U.N. technicians were not present in the control booth.

Watters’ joke about destroying the United Nations was inappropriate, particularly given the recent violence against politicians committed by men struggling with mental health. However, his comments were quickly overshadowed by remarks made by another television personality later that night.

Television

Before Jimmy Kimmel hosts again on ABC, Roseanne Barr told NewsNation that her career was destroyed by a racist tweet she posted seven years ago.

Jimmy Kimmel returned to his show after a week-long break, urging viewers to oppose censorship and avoid infighting. ABC temporarily suspended the show following criticism from conservatives about a comment Kimmel made regarding the person who attacked Charlie Kirk, where he said they were attempting to distance themselves from the attacker for political gain.

On Tuesday’s show, Kimmel became emotional while discussing the death of Kirk and clarified that he never intended to downplay the tragedy. He stressed that whether or not people enjoyed his show wasn’t the issue. “This show isn’t what matters,” he explained. “What’s important is living in a country where a show like this can even exist,” highlighting the importance of free expression.

The removal of Jimmy Kimmel, who had often criticized the president and become a target as a result, represented a significant challenge to protecting free speech. The administration had previously used the Federal Communications Commission to go after those who disagreed with it. When Kimmel returned to his show on Tuesday, the audience gave him a standing ovation. His opening monologue quickly gained 11 million views on YouTube within the first 12 hours and is expected to be his most popular ever.

Jimmy Kimmel’s return to television added to Donald Trump’s already difficult day, which was already being called the ‘Worst Tuesday Ever.’ It’s clear this wasn’t a simple mistake by someone reading the teleprompter. However, Trump’s supporters are trying to spin the situation, with some, like Watters, even resorting to dangerous jokes about violence against those who criticize their leader. This highlights how deeply divided and troubled America has become, far beyond a simple malfunction like a broken escalator at the U.N.

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2025-09-25 13:35