Former U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded a full investigation into what he described as a “triple sabotage” incident during his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The controversy began when the escalator carrying Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump abruptly stopped, nearly causing them to stumble. Trump later claimed that his teleprompter went dark mid-speech and that the audio system inside the hall failed, preventing delegates from hearing him unless they were using interpreter earpieces. He called these three events “sinister” and accused unknown actors of trying to humiliate him on the global stage.
Trump has urged the United Nations to preserve all surveillance footage of the escalator and said that the U.S. Secret Service is already investigating the matter. He went as far as demanding arrests if foul play is proven. On his social media platform, Trump suggested that the incidents were deliberate, portraying them as an orchestrated attempt to undermine his speech and authority at an international forum.
U.N. officials, however, have offered more practical explanations. A spokesperson said the escalator’s automatic safety system was likely triggered when a videographer walked backward too close to its sensors, causing the machine to stop as a precaution. The teleprompter, they clarified, was controlled by the White House staff, not by U.N. technicians. As for the audio issues, U.N. representatives noted that delegates typically rely on interpreter headsets to hear speeches clearly and insisted that the overall sound system had not malfunctioned.
The episode has drawn both ridicule and concern, with critics dismissing Trump’s claims as exaggerated while supporters insist the matter should be taken seriously. At present, it remains unclear whether the U.N. will launch a formal inquiry in response to Trump’s demand. What is certain, however, is that the incident — quickly dubbed “Escalatorgate” by some media outlets — has added another layer of controversy to Trump’s already high-profile return to the international spotlight.