Trump Cries ‘Triple Sabotage’ at the United Nations: Escalator Mishap, Teleprompter Failure, and Sound Glitches Spark Controversy
The President of the United States is once again seizing global headlines — this time over what he blasted as “a real disgrace” at the United Nations. Donald Trump alleges that not one, but three deliberate acts of sabotage marred his high-profile appearance before world leaders, sparking a war of words between the White House and UN officials.
Escalator Scare: “Absolutely Sabotage”
Trump claims the drama began before he even reached the podium. As he and First Lady Melania Trump rode an escalator toward the stage, it suddenly jolted to a stop. “If we hadn’t been holding on to the handrails, it would’ve been a disaster,” he posted on Truth Social, calling the incident “absolutely sabotage.”
Citing a London Times report suggesting UN staff had joked about disabling escalators and elevators, Trump accused the organization of foul play. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt amplified the charge, demanding immediate firings and a full investigation if staff were involved.
Triple Trouble: Teleprompter and Audio Failures
According to Trump, the escalator was only the beginning. His teleprompter “went stone cold dark” as he began his address, forcing him to deliver the opening 15 minutes from memory. Minutes later, he alleged, the sound system malfunctioned so severely that even Melania could not hear him in the audience.
“This was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves,” Trump declared, vowing that the Secret Service and UN Secretary-General António Guterres would both be pressed for answers. He also demanded all security footage, particularly near the escalator’s emergency stop button, be preserved.
The UN Pushes Back
The United Nations flatly rejected Trump’s accusations. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric explained that the escalator had stopped due to a built-in safety mechanism known as the “comb step,” triggered—according to data from the machine’s processor—when a U.S. delegation videographer walked backward while filming.
On the teleprompter, the UN pointed out it was operated entirely by Trump’s own staff. And on sound, they stressed that General Assembly speeches are broadcast through interpreter earpieces, which may explain reports of muffled or missing audio.
From Embarrassment to Diplomacy
Despite the glitches, Trump pressed on. At the podium, he quipped, “I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working,” before joking, “Whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble.” He then switched to printed notes and continued his address, blending humor with sharp criticism of the UN.
“All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that stopped right in the middle … and a bad teleprompter,” he told delegates, drawing chuckles and murmurs in the hall.
The session proceeded with scheduled meetings between Trump and world leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Argentine President Javier Milei, as well as multilateral talks with Arab and Muslim leaders.
A Clash of Narratives
For Trump, the incidents are proof of deeper dysfunction and disrespect within the UN. For UN officials, they are nothing more than technical hiccups. Both sides are standing firm — one framing the mishaps as sabotage, the other as safeguards and human error.
As investigations unfold, the episode underscores not only the fragility of live diplomacy but also the widening rift between Trump and the institution he once called “a club for people to get together, talk, and have a good time.”
