US President Donald Trump and Melania Trump were caught in what appeared to be a tense exchange as Marine One touched down on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday evening. Footage showed the US President animatedly pointing his finger towards the First Lady while she shook her head, fuelling speculation of an argument after the couple's turbulent day at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Lip readers, however, believe the moment was not a marital row but a reaction to the so-called 'escalator incident' at the UN, when the moving staircase abruptly halted as the couple stepped on it. Forensic lip reader Jeremy Freeman told the Daily Mail that Trump appeared to say the incident was 'unbelievable', while Melania responded, 'You just continued'. Another expert suggested Trump told his wife, 'I can't forgive them, they tried to hurt you', pointing to his claims of 'triple sabotage' involving the escalator, teleprompter and audio failures.
@thoughtfulpanic I need to know. #lipreaders #trump #melania #maga #marriage
♬ Funny - Gold-Tiger
Here’s when the UN escalator stopped working the second Trump & Melania got to it
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) September 23, 2025
(The teleprompter stopped right when he started his speech also) pic.twitter.com/fxmDetY3Yb
Despite the tense optics aboard Marine One, the pair were later seen walking hand in hand across the South Lawn. Trump, 79, has repeatedly alleged that UN staff attempted to endanger him and the First Lady, branding the escalator malfunction a 'sabotage'. The footage adds to a history of public moments where Melania has appeared reluctant beside her husband, though Wednesday's exchange, experts say, may have been less of a marital dispute and more of a political grievance.
