US President Donald Trump is calling for an immediate investigation into what he described as a “triple sabotage” during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused UN staff of orchestrating a series of technical failures aimed at undermining his visit.
“A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday — Not one, not two, but three very sinister events!” Trump wrote Wednesday, detailing the incidents: a halted escalator, a malfunctioning teleprompter, and audio issues that reportedly left world leaders unable to hear his speech.
During his remarks to the General Assembly, Trump quipped, “These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter.” He later added that the sound system was “completely off,” claiming that unless leaders used interpreters’ earpieces, they couldn’t hear a word.
The President described the escalator malfunction as dangerous, saying, “It’s amazing that Melania and I didn’t fall forward onto the sharp edges of these steel steps, face first.” He credited their grip on the handrails for preventing injury and declared, “This was absolutely sabotage.”
Trump cited a report from The Times of London, which claimed UN staff joked about disabling elevators and escalators ahead of his arrival. “The people that did it should be arrested!” he demanded.
A UN spokesperson responded Tuesday, explaining that a “built-in safety mechanism” had triggered the escalator’s stop, possibly due to a videographer in the US delegation. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric elaborated further, suggesting the incident was accidental.
Trump said he would send a letter to UN leadership demanding an investigation and the preservation of security footage. “This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN,” he declared. “They ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Trump’s concerns, posting on social media: “If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately.” She included a screenshot of The Times article referencing the staff jokes.