Donald Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at UN: Escalator Halt, Teleprompter Failure & Audio Blackout, demands secret service investigation. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has accused the United Nations of orchestrating what he called “three very sinister events” during his recent appearance at the UN General Assembly in New York.
In a fiery social media post, Trump alleged that an escalator carrying him and First Lady Melania Trump abruptly stopped, his teleprompter malfunctioned, and the auditorium’s sound system cut out — all within hours of each other.
Trump has branded the incidents as “triple sabotage”, demanding a full investigation by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and confirming that the Secret Service is involved.
Donald Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at UN: Escalator Halt, Teleprompter Failure & Audio Blackout
Trump’s Explosive Allegation: “A Real Disgrace at the UN”
In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump wrote:
“A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday — Not one, not two, but three very sinister events!”
He went on to describe the incidents in dramatic detail:
- Escalator Halt – Trump said the escalator taking him and Melania up to the Main Speaking Floor “came to a screeching halt”, nearly causing them to fall face-first. He claimed this was “absolute sabotage,” referencing a London Times article suggesting UN staffers had previously joked about cutting power to escalators and elevators during his arrival.
- Teleprompter Failure – As he began delivering his speech before world leaders and millions of viewers, Trump said his teleprompter “went stone cold dark”, forcing him to ad-lib for about 15 minutes until it came back online. “First the escalator, now a bad teleprompter. What kind of a place is this?” Trump wrote.
- Audio Blackout – After finishing his speech, Trump was told the sound in the auditorium had been completely cut off, leaving world leaders unable to hear his remarks without interpreter earpieces. Melania reportedly told him, “I couldn’t hear a word you said.”
Trump concluded:
“This wasn’t a coincidence. This was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
Escalator Incident: Who Triggered the Emergency Stop?
The escalator mishap drew immediate attention, with videos circulating online showing Trump and Melania looking startled as the moving steps jolted to a halt.
UN’s Explanation
According to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, the escalator stopped because a safety mechanism was triggered, likely by Trump’s videographer, who was walking backward up the escalator to capture footage.
“The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects from being caught in the gearing. Our assessment is that the videographer may have inadvertently triggered it,” Dujarric told reporters.
This explanation, however, has not quelled suspicion within Trump’s camp.
White House Pushback
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X (formerly Twitter):
“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.”
Teleprompter Blackout: White House vs UN
The teleprompter malfunction is another flashpoint.
- UN officials insisted the teleprompter belonged to the U.S. delegation, and the White House was responsible for operating it.
- White House aides countered, claiming it was the UN’s equipment that failed.
The teleprompter eventually came back online after about 15 minutes, but by then Trump had already delivered much of his speech extemporaneously. He later boasted that his off-the-cuff delivery earned “fantastic reviews.”
The Audio Failure: World Leaders Left in the Dark
Trump’s third complaint was that the auditorium’s sound system cut out, meaning world leaders without interpreter earpieces heard nothing.
Melania reportedly told him afterward: “I couldn’t hear a word you said.”
The UN clarified that its sound system is designed primarily to feed into interpreter earpieces, ensuring multilingual access. However, Trump and his aides insist the silence in the hall amounted to deliberate sabotage.
Trump’s Demand: Full Investigation and Security Tapes Preserved
Trump said he has written a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, demanding:
- An immediate probe into the incidents
- Preservation of security tapes, especially around the escalator’s emergency stop button
- A report on whether the mishaps were the result of human error or intentional sabotage
He also revealed that the U.S. Secret Service is now involved, raising the stakes.
Also Read: Trump Official Assaulted by ‘Deranged Leftist’ at UNGA; White House Slams UN Security
US Ambassador’s Statement: “Unacceptable”
U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, backed Trump’s allegations, calling the incidents “unacceptable” and demanding accountability.
“The United States will not tolerate threats to our security or dignity at international forums. We expect swift cooperation and decisive action,” Waltz said in a post on X.
The ambassador confirmed that formal demands have been sent to the UN for internal reports and explanations.
Political Context: Trump vs the UN
Trump has long had a fractious relationship with the United Nations, often criticizing it as bloated, ineffective, and hostile to U.S. interests.
During his General Assembly speech this week, Trump slammed the UN for “squandering its potential”, criticized European allies over immigration and Ukraine, and told world leaders their countries were “going to hell.”
Against this backdrop, the alleged “triple sabotage” feeds directly into Trump’s narrative of being undermined by global institutions.
Also Read: Trump demands inquiry over UN ‘triple sabotage’ after escalator and teleprompter mishaps
Social Media Reaction: From Jokes to Outrage
The incidents sparked a frenzy online:
- Some Trump supporters saw the mishaps as part of a deliberate attempt to humiliate him.
- Critics mocked Trump’s paranoia, with one user writing: “Only Trump could turn a broken escalator into an international conspiracy.”
- Clips of Trump and Melania on the stalled escalator have gone viral, with many noting Melania’s calm reaction compared to Trump’s frustration.
Expert Opinions: Sabotage or Glitches?
Political analysts and former officials have weighed in:
- Bobby Kogan, former OMB official:
“These claims of sabotage are part of Trump’s pattern of turning technical glitches into political theater. It distracts from his controversial speech.”
- Security experts note that while accidents at high-profile venues are common, labeling three separate malfunctions as coordinated sabotage requires credible evidence.
UN’s Official Position
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reiterated that the organization is cooperating with U.S. authorities and that the incidents were “technical malfunctions, not sabotage.”
“The Secretary-General has ordered a thorough internal review. The UN is ready to cooperate in full transparency with the U.S. to determine the causes,” Dujarric said.
Trump’s History of Complaints About the UN
This is not the first time Trump has clashed with the UN:
- As president, he pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord and UN Human Rights Council.
- He has often accused the UN of being “a club for people to have a good time” at U.S. taxpayers’ expense.
- His UN speeches have frequently been controversial, with past addresses mocking globalists and promoting “America First” policies.
What Happens Next?
The UN has promised an internal review, but with Trump and his allies pushing the sabotage narrative, the matter is unlikely to fade quickly.
The key questions remain:
- Was the escalator stop a genuine accident, or deliberate?
- Who was responsible for the teleprompter blackout?
- Why did the sound system fail for Trump’s speech?
With the Secret Service and U.S. Ambassador involved, the findings could have diplomatic repercussions.
Conclusion
Donald Trump’s allegations of “triple sabotage” at the UN have escalated into a political storm, blending technical mishaps with broader themes of distrust between Trump and international institutions.
Whether these incidents were mere glitches or deliberate attempts to embarrass him remains to be seen, but they have already become a defining moment of his latest UN appearance — one that will fuel both his supporters and critics alike. As the world awaits the outcome of the investigation, one thing is certain: Trump has once again made himself the center of global attention.
