An official from the Trump-led U.S. administration was reportedly assaulted during the ongoing United Nations General Assembly on Thursday afternoon. The incident involved a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) official, who was allegedly followed into a restroom, filmed, and physically attacked, Fox News reported.
According to a statement from White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, the attacker was described as a “deranged leftist” who managed to bypass multiple layers of UN security to reach the official. The HHS staffer was part of the U.S. delegation attending the UN event with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
While the official did not sustain serious injuries and is said to be safe, the attacker has been arrested. The White House has directly blamed the United Nations for what it called a significant security failure.
White House Links Incident to Broader Pattern of Disruption
This incident follows other disruptions reported by former U.S. President Donald Trump during his appearance at the UN earlier this week. Trump alleged that an escalator malfunction, a teleprompter failure, and audio issues during his address were not coincidental.
In a post on his social platform, Trump said the escalator carrying him and his wife, Melania Trump, “came to a screeching halt,” nearly causing him to fall. He also claimed the teleprompter went dark just as his speech began, and that poor audio quality made it difficult for world leaders to hear him.
Calling the series of events “not one, not two, but three very sinister events,” Trump demanded accountability, stating, “This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN.”
Trump Demands Action, Calls for Arrests
The former president asserted that the Secret Service was investigating the matter and called for those responsible to be held accountable. In a strongly worded statement, he criticized the United Nations, saying, “They ought to be ashamed of themselves … No wonder the United Nations hasn’t been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do.”
The White House’s response to the incident suggests rising tensions between the Trump camp and UN officials, especially in the wake of what it claims is targeted interference during a major diplomatic event.