Trump Alleges 'Triple Sabotage' at UN; Probe Underway

President Trump accused the United Nations of “triple sabotage” after an escalator stopped as he and First Lady Melania stepped on it and he experienced teleprompter and audio failures during his U.N. General Assembly appearance, demanding arrests and preservation of escalator security footage and posting the allegations on Truth Social. White House aides pressed for investigations, and reports say the U.S. Secret Service is probing the escalator stoppage and the teleprompter/audio problems. The United Nations said a readout of the escalator’s control unit showed a built‑in safety mechanism was triggered — likely accidentally when a U.S. delegation videographer rode the escalator backward and reached the top — and technicians reset the machine. UN and other officials noted the teleprompter was operated by the White House and that the auditorium’s audio configuration led many delegates to rely on interpreter earpieces, prompting some to attribute the incidents to safety, operational or technical causes rather than deliberate sabotage. The dispute has raised the prospect of diplomatic friction as media coverage remains divided and calls for further investigation continue.