Trump administration official assaulted inside UN headquarters during UNGA
White House slams UN security after a Trump official was attacked inside UNGA. Secret Service launches investigation into the breach
An official of the Trump administration was allegedly physically assaulted by a “deranged leftist” inside the United Nations building in New York on Thursday (September 27) during the UN General Assembly meeting.
According to a report in Fox News Digital, the official working in the international relations section under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was in New York City and is serving in a supporting role for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the department’s leadership team at UNGA.
White House alleges security breach
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said that the accused was somehow able to bypass multiple layers of security at the UN building and verbally abuse a Trump administration official.
"An HHS official was followed into a bathroom, recorded, physically assaulted and verbally accosted by a deranged leftist at the UN who somehow entered the venue past multiple layers of security," Kelly said as quoted by Fox News Digital.
"Thankfully, the official is safe, and the lunatic was arrested, but this is part of a disturbing and dangerous set of failures by the UN after their sabotage of President Trump ahead of and during his speech,” she added.
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US Secret Service to probe
The White House official also said that the incident will be investigated by the US Secret Service, adding that it will be probed "how this violent protester was admitted into a major national security event."
According to the report, the accused has been charged with assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon. It further stated that the accused was released from custody at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and was expected to appear before a court on November 13.
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White House slams UN
The incident has led to the White House sharply criticising the UN over security arrangements, with the White House Deputy Press Secretary demanding that "The UN must answer why these highly concerning incidents continue to happen against the president and his staff.”
"We are outraged that a member of the U.S. delegation was physically assaulted inside of UN Headquarters the afternoon of September 25," a US UN spokesperson said as quoted in the report. "This attack must be addressed swiftly, and consequences must be felt,” added the official.
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‘UN lost its way’
Lashing out at the UN, the spokesperson said that “the UN itself recognizes that it has lost its way. Now, it has devolved into an arena where an American delegation member is harassed and assaulted,” asking if the UN can’t keep people sage in their own office then how can it claim to be the world’s diplomatic center and described the incident as “unacceptable.”
According to the report, a Trump administration official said that the incident was “very disorienting” adding, "Once I took a step back and regained my footing, it didn’t stop. I realised what was happening. I realised I was being yelled at and that the light was also a recording device." She said that the ordeal lasted about 10 minutes.