Trump Alleges “Triple Sabotage” at U.N., Demands Investigation

During his visit to the United Nations this week, former President Donald Trump claimed that he was the target of “triple sabotage” — three separate technical failures he contends were orchestrated to undermine his appearance — and called for a thorough investigation into the incidents.

The Claims

Trump described the incidents in a social media (Truth Social) post and via public statements. The three events he flagged as suspicious are:

1. Escalator malfunction — On the way to the main speaking hall, the escalator carrying Trump and his entourage abruptly stopped. Trump said it “came to a screeching halt,” nearly causing them to fall. He termed this “absolutely sabotage.”

2. Teleprompter failure — As he took the stage, Trump claimed his teleprompter went “stone-cold dark,” leaving him without prompt support for about 15 minutes.

3. Audio / sound disruption — Trump said the sound system failed in the hall during his speech, such that only delegates using interpreter earpieces might hear him. He quoted his wife, Melania Trump, as saying she “couldn’t hear a word” he said.

He characterized the trio of failures as “three very sinister events,” not coincidences, and demanded that “all security tapes at the escalator should be saved,” in addition to calling for arrests. He also said the U.S. Secret Service would investigate.

Responses and Explanations

U.N. officials and those familiar with operations at such venues offered counter-explanations and pushed back against the sabotage narrative:

• Escalator stop — The U.N. spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said the escalator’s built-in safety mechanism had been triggered at the top comb step. According to him, a U.S. delegation videographer moving backward up the escalator may have inadvertently activated the emergency stop.

• Teleprompter — A U.N. official (on condition of anonymity) noted that the White House delegation, not the U.N., was responsible for operating Trump’s teleprompter. Thus, the malfunction would not fall under U.N. control.

• Audio / sound issue — The U.N. claimed the sound system was functional, with speeches relayed in multiple languages via interpreter earpieces. They suggested that the perceived audio dropout may have been a misinterpretation or caused by interpreter equipment, rather than an outright failure of the auditorium system itself.

Additionally, U.N. facilities—especially escalators and elevators—have seen intermittent outages in recent months as cost-saving measures amid liquidity constraints.

Political Context & Significance

Trump’s allegations come amid a speech in which he sharply criticized the U.N. and its member states, accusing Europe of mishandling immigration, calling climate policy a “green scam,” and asserting that the U.N. had failed to deliver on its founding mission.

By characterizing the glitches as sabotage, Trump aims to strengthen his broader narrative that globalist institutions are hostile to his agenda. It also raises the stakes for any formal investigation — if officials do find evidence of foul play, it could deepen tensions between the U.S. delegation and U.N. staff.

Whether the Secret Service or another body can produce definitive conclusions remains to be seen. So far, the U.N. has not publicly committed to an internal inquiry in response to Trump’s demands.

What to Watch

• Investigation outcome — Will the Secret Service or another entity issue a conclusion? Will the U.N. release or preserve footage or logs to respond to Trump’s demands?

• Political fallout — How will other member states and U.N. leadership respond if the sabotage claim gains traction?

• Media & public reaction — Critics may challenge the consistency of Trump’s account (for example, video evidence shows audience reactions during his speech).

• Institutional safeguards — In a high-security venue like the U.N., questions may arise about whether escalators, prompters, and audio systems can be manipulated—and what protections or redundancies are in place.