Trump Calls UN Disruptions 'Sabotage'

Trump Demands Investigation of UN Secretary-General

U.S. President Donald Trump argued on his Truth Social account that the disruptions during the 80th UN General Assembly were not a simple coincidence. They were "planned attempts at sabotage," Trump said.

The Escalator Crisis and Teleprompter Problem

Trump said that the sudden stoppage of the escalators as he entered the United Nations (UN) building created a dangerous situation for him and his wife, Melania Trump. He called for the arrest of those responsible for the incident, which allegedly coincided with a British media report about a "prank by UN employees to shut down the escalator."

He also said that he was unable to start his speech for a while due to a malfunction in the teleprompter, and that he continued to read a memorized text until the device was restored. Trump added that the leaders could only listen to him through headphones, as the hall's sound system was completely disabled.

Trump's Official Letter and Pressure on the UN

The US President sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asking for an immediate investigation into the events. In the letter, he specifically called for a review of the escalators' security cameras.

US Secret Service Involved

Trump announced that the US Secret Service was involved in the investigation. The White House said that if the stopping of the escalators was intentional, the person involved should be fired.

Background and Speculation

Some news outlets have claimed that some UN staffers joked about stopping the escalators due to Trump's financial constraints. The Times newspaper suggested that this was intended to send a message that "the UN is out of money."