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American officials expressed deep anger over the incident
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks to the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City on September 23. (AFP photo)
A senior Trump administration official was physically assaulted by a “deranged leftist” inside the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York on Thursday afternoon during the UN General Assembly (UNGA), in what American officials have condemned as a shocking breach of security, according to Fox News. The official, who works in international relations for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), was in New York to support HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and the department’s leadership team during the high-profile event.
What do we know about the security breach?
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According to White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, the HHS staffer was followed into a bathroom, recorded, physically attacked and verbally abused by a “deranged leftist” who somehow bypassed multiple layers of UN security. “Thankfully, the official is safe, and the lunatic was arrested,” Kelly told Fox News Digital, calling the incident “part of a disturbing and dangerous set of failures by the UN after their sabotage of President Trump ahead of and during his speech.”
The U.S. Secret Service is now investigating how the attacker gained entry to what is regarded as one of the world’s most secure diplomatic venues.
A source familiar with the case revealed that the assailant has been charged with assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon. The individual was released from custody on Friday evening and is due to appear in court on 13 November.
What the victim said?Â
The HHS official detailed the harrowing encounter. She said she was walking through a UN hallway when a woman began shining a bright light in her face, recording her and shouting derogatory pro-Palestinian insults, including calling her a “fascist” and a “Nazi.”
The official tried to escape into a women’s bathroom, but the attacker followed, becoming increasingly aggressive. “Her yelling turned into screaming hyper-aggressive insults,” the official recounted. After locking herself in a stall, she said the woman tried to force entry and even held a camera over the stall door to continue filming.
The ordeal, which lasted around ten minutes, ended only when the official managed to leave the bathroom and lose her pursuer in the hallway. “It felt very political in nature,” she said. “That’s a scary thing for the team. But we’re more empowered, and we have amazing leadership.”
What did the UN say about the incident?
American officials expressed deep anger over the incident. “We are outraged that a member of the U.S. delegation was physically assaulted inside UN Headquarters,” a U.S. UN spokesperson said. “If you can’t keep people safe in your own building, how can you claim to be the world’s diplomatic centre?”
The spokesperson described the attack as “unacceptable” and said the UN would provide “every available resource” to support the U.S. Secret Service investigation. They also called for a thorough review of the UN’s security operations, adding: “Enough is enough.”
Questions over UN security
The attack has prompted urgent questions about security failures at the UN. U.S. officials have demanded explanations as to how an unauthorised individual gained access to such a tightly controlled venue, calling the breach a serious national security concern. The UN has pledged to cooperate fully with U.S. authorities and to review its security protocols in the wake of the incident.
United States of America (USA)
September 27, 2025, 10:47 IST
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