Trump to the UN: The Escalator Ate My Speech!
How Trump Turned a Broken Step Into a Global Conspiracy (And What It Says About His Psychology)
Sometimes history gives us comedy wrapped in tragedy.
Case in point: A few days ago, Trumplestilskin took to social media to claim that an escalator malfunction, a teleprompter glitch, and a sound outage at the United Nations were not random hiccups but a triple sabotage plot.
Here’s what that rant really reveals—not about the UN—but about his psychology.
1. Always Someone Else’s Fault
Every hiccup is blamed on shadowy saboteurs.
This is the external locus of control—bad things aren’t random, they’re always someone else’s doing.
2. The World Is Out to Get Me
Three unrelated technical problems are strung together as proof of persecution.
This is paranoid thinking, turning everyday mishaps into evidence of a coordinated attack.
3. From Victim to Superhero
Even while complaining, the story pivots to boast: “very few people could have done what I did.”
This is grandiosity, casting himself as the lone hero rising above the chaos.
4. Applause, Please
No rant is complete without validation: “millions watching,” “fantastic reviews.”
That’s a deep need for external approval, where the point isn’t the speech—it’s the cheering afterward.
5. Every Bump = Disaster
A stalled escalator becomes a near-death experience—“face first onto sharp edges.”
That’s catastrophizing, inflating inconveniences into mortal threats.
6. Good vs. Evil, No In-Between
The UN isn’t a flawed institution—it’s a den of saboteurs.
This is black-and-white thinking, where complexity disappears and only villains remain.
7. Must Restore Control
“Investigate! Save the tapes! Arrest them!”
This reveals a need for authority and control—demanding order to counter imagined chaos.
8. Always the Target and the Victor
The story arc goes: I was attacked → I overcame it.
This victim-hero narrative is classic demagogue storytelling, meant to rally followers into seeing him as both persecuted and powerful.
9. Facts Optional
“This wasn’t a coincidence.” That’s jumping to conclusions—relying on gut feeling and anecdote instead of evidence.
The “Alpha Male” Snowflake
The right loves to brand itself as the home of “alpha males” — tough, strong, unshakable.
But here’s the irony: refusing to take responsibility and constantly blaming others is the opposite of strength.
It’s fragility.
It’s the very thing they mock as “snowflake” behavior.
And Trump’s escalator rant?
It’s a perfect example of that projection at work.
What Real Strength Looks Like
The truth is, strength isn’t about pretending nothing ever goes wrong.
It’s about taking responsibility, adapting, and moving forward.
When the so-called “strongmen” collapse into blame and conspiracy, it shows how brittle they really are.
That should remind us: their bluster is a mask.
Our resilience—our ability to face reality, to own our choices, and to keep moving toward a better future—is the real power.
That’s what the Pathfinder community is about.
We don’t crumble when life gets messy.
We rise, we adapt, and we transform setbacks into momentum.
That’s what genuine strength looks like, and it’s what will carry us through the storms ahead.
Why This Insanity Matters
This escalator rant isn’t just about broken machinery.
It’s a blueprint for how authoritarian figures tell stories: they frame themselves as constantly under siege, then position themselves as the only savior.
That narrative—we’re all victims, and only I can protect you—is what keeps people hooked.
And it’s what makes this more dangerous than funny.
👉 Field Note takeaway: When someone can turn a stuck escalator into a global conspiracy, what won’t they spin? And if this is what passes for “alpha,” then the loudest voices on the right aren’t strong at all—they’re the snowflakes they warn you about.
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