WASHINGTON – United States President Donald Trump has accused the United Nations of orchestrating what he called a “triple sabotage” during his address to the General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump cited three incidents: an escalator suddenly stopping as he and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on, a teleprompter malfunction during his speech, and audio difficulties inside the auditorium.
He demanded an immediate investigation by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday – not one, not two, but three very sinister events!” Trump wrote. “This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
The president claimed UN workers had previously joked about shutting down escalators and called for the arrest of those responsible.
“All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved,” he added.
The White House backed Trump’s concerns, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggesting the escalator stoppage could have been deliberate.
“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 posted on X.
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz also demanded a formal probe, calling the incidents “unacceptable” and warning that Washington “will not tolerate threats to our security or dignity at international forums.”
However, UN officials pushed back on the accusations. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Trump’s videographer, who was filming the couple while moving backwards, may have “inadvertently triggered the safety function” of the escalator.
On the teleprompter glitch, the UN noted that the equipment belonged to the US delegation and was being operated with laptops provided by the White House.
As for the audio complaints, a UN official explained that the system was designed for delegates to hear speeches via translation earpieces, rather than directly through the auditorium speakers.
Despite those explanations, Trump doubled down, insisting the series of failures was not accidental. “This was absolutely sabotage,” he wrote. “They need to be held accountable.”
