Trump Alleges “Triple Sabotage” at United Nations Event

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that his recent appearance at the United Nations was deliberately disrupted, describing the incidents as “sabotage” and calling for a full investigation. In a post on Truth Social, Trump alleged that three separate technical failures—an escalator stoppage, a teleprompter malfunction, and sound issues—interfered with his arrival and speech at the U.N. headquarters.

Trump stated that while he and First Lady Melania Trump were riding an escalator to the main floor, it suddenly “came to a screeching halt,” nearly causing them to fall. He demanded the arrest of whoever was behind the malfunction, insisting that the event was part of a coordinated effort to embarrass him on the world stage.

The President also said that his teleprompter went dark as he began speaking, leaving him without prepared remarks, and claimed that many world leaders were unable to hear him due to a failure in the sound system. He described the sequence of incidents as “not one, not two, but three very sinister events,” dubbing it “triple sabotage.” Trump added that he had asked the U.N. to preserve surveillance footage and confirmed that the U.S. Secret Service was investigating the matter.

U.N. officials, however, offered different explanations. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric explained that the escalator had stopped after its built-in safety mechanism was triggered, likely due to Trump’s videographer walking backward on the moving steps to capture footage. He also noted that the teleprompter was operated by the White House, not the U.N. Regarding audio, officials clarified that delegates listen to speeches through earpieces providing translations in six official languages, suggesting the sound system was not at fault.

The U.N. has not commented further on Trump’s call for an investigation, but officials have denied responsibility for the alleged disruptions.