President Donald Trump accused the United Nations of orchestrating “absolute sabotage” after a series of technical problems disrupted his highly anticipated visit to UN headquarters on Tuesday. The incidents included a stalled escalator, a malfunctioning teleprompter, and sound issues during his address. Trump described them as “triple sabotage,” sparking heated debate over whether the malfunctions were accidental or politically motivated.
The controversy began when Trump and First Lady Melania prepared to ascend an escalator inside the UN building. Just as they stepped on, the machine suddenly stopped. The presidential couple, their security detail, and accompanying staff had to walk the rest of the way. Trump later told supporters that the halt nearly caused a dangerous fall, calling the moment “one of the sharpest and most unsafe things I’ve ever seen.”
UN officials quickly offered an explanation. They said a videographer in Trump’s own delegation caused the stoppage. The cameraman stepped backward onto the escalator after reaching the top, and his movement activated a safety mechanism that forced the machine to stop. UN staff insisted the event happened by accident.
Trump, however, rejected the explanation. He insisted the incident was too perfectly timed to be a coincidence. “We would have gone down on sharp steel if I hadn’t grabbed the handrail. It was sabotage, no question about it,” he said. During his speech at the UN, he even joked, “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that stopped halfway up.”
The president’s frustration grew further when the teleprompter went blank just as he began his remarks. For nearly fifteen minutes, he improvised large sections of his speech. Later he claimed the moment proved his unmatched skill as an orator.
“The teleprompter went stone cold black. Nobody else could have handled that, but I did it flawlessly,” Trump told reporters. “People everywhere said it was one of the greatest speeches ever given under those circumstances.”
UN officials, meanwhile, stressed that Trump’s team controlled the teleprompter, not them. His staff managed the equipment from start to finish. Still, the failure fit neatly into Trump’s narrative of deliberate obstruction.
Another problem soon arose with sound during Trump’s address to the General Assembly. He argued that large parts of the audience could not hear him. He even claimed that First Lady Melania later said she “couldn’t hear a word.”
UN technicians, however, directly disputed this claim. They said all audio systems worked without interruption during the event. In addition, they suggested Trump’s team or media partners caused any lapses.
Trump then expanded his case. “First the escalator, then the teleprompter, and then the sound. It’s triple sabotage. Somebody should be arrested,” he declared. He added that the Secret Service had opened an investigation into whether the incidents were deliberate.
The United Nations firmly denied wrongdoing. Officials repeated that Trump’s own videographer caused the escalator to stop. They also noted that his staff managed the teleprompter and that the sound system ran without interruption. To counter Trump’s claims, they highlighted safety protocols and technical logs. “No one tampered with the systems,” one official said. “Everything operated as designed.”
Trump, however, pointed to a British newspaper report. According to the article, some UN staff had joked privately about switching off escalators and elevators to mock U.S. cuts to UN funding. For Trump, this reinforced his belief that the organization harbored hostility toward his administration.
The controversy, therefore, has moved beyond questions of technical glitches. For analysts, the events highlight the rocky relationship between Trump and the UN. Their dealings have long been defined by disagreements over funding, foreign policy, and global governance.
Supporters of the president argue that the mishaps show a lack of respect for American leadership at the UN. They recall past clashes over U.S. funding cuts and Trump’s criticism of the organization as bloated and ineffective. To them, the problems were more than accidents. They revealed international bias.
Critics, on the other hand, argue that Trump exaggerated routine problems for political effect. They say he often frames minor challenges as conspiracies to energize his base and present himself as a victim of global elites. By turning inconveniences into claims of sabotage, he not only dominates headlines but also sharpens political divides.
The fallout, consequently, is already clear. Trump’s charges have ensured the story will stay in the spotlight and further strain his administration’s ties with the UN. His calls for accountability and hints of investigation suggest the controversy will drag on. Republicans rally behind his claims while Democrats dismiss them as baseless.
The UN, meanwhile, has tried to stay above the dispute. Its staff offered explanations but refused to escalate the war of words. Whether the issue fades or becomes another symbol of Trump’s combative approach to global institutions remains uncertain.
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Ultimately, what is certain is that even small technical problems can trigger major disputes in international politics. For Trump, the escalator, the teleprompter, and the sound glitches provide fresh ammunition in his ongoing fight with global organizations. For the UN, they illustrate the risks of operating under constant political scrutiny, where ordinary technical failures quickly turn into allegations of sabotage.