On Wednesday, President Donald Trump claimed that he was the target of "three very sinister events" during his visit to the United Nations on Tuesday, prompting the Secret Service to examine the situation. These allegations arose while he was attending the U.N. General Assembly, where he delivered a speech denouncing the organization for what he perceived as wasted potential. Additionally, Trump harshly criticized U.S. allies in Europe regarding their management of the Russian war in Ukraine and their immigration policies, expressing disdain for their nations' conditions by stating they were "going to hell."
In a post on his social media platform, Trump expressed his displeasure at the U.N., attributing his negative mood to a series of unfortunate incidents that he suggested were part of a broader conspiracy against him. The first incident involved an escalator that reportedly came to a "screeching halt" while Trump and his entourage were using it, which he labeled as "absolutely sabotage." According to Stephane Dujarric, the U.N. spokesperson, a videographer from the U.S. delegation running ahead of Trump may have inadvertently triggered the escalator's stop mechanism.
Trump stated on Truth Social, "The people that did it should be arrested," emphasizing his belief that the stoppage was intentional. The second alleged incident involved the teleprompter malfunctioning and going "stone cold dark" during his address at the U.N. However, a U.N. official indicated that the White House was responsible for operating the teleprompter, raising questions about Trump's claims of sabotage.
Lastly, Trump reported that the audio was malfunctioning as he spoke, asserting that the audience could only hear him if they were using interpreters who spoke through earpieces. He mentioned that his wife, Melania, had expressed to him that she could not hear his remarks during his address. Trump reacted to these occurrences by suggesting they were not coincidental, declaring it was “triple sabotage” and calling for an investigation into the matter. He formally requested that the U.N. preserve security footage related to the escalator stoppage as the Secret Service would be involved in the inquiry.
It is worth noting that escalators at the U.N. are known to sometimes stop functioning, a fact well recognized by staff and visitors alike. In recent months, the U.N. has periodically halted the operation of elevators and escalators in New York and Geneva as part of budgetary cuts due to a "liquidity crisis." This crisis has been significantly attributed to delayed funding from the United States, which is the largest contributor to the organization.
