US President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that he was the target of a “three very sinister events” during his visit to the United Nations on Tuesday, an event he described as highly suspicious. He stated that the Secret Service would be investigating the incidents.
Trump made these remarks after attending the UN General Assembly, where he delivered a harsh speech condemning the organisation for not fulfilling its potential. He also criticised European allies for their handling of the war in Ukraine and immigration policies, telling global leaders that their countries were “going to hell.”
On his social media platform, Trump suggested that three separate incidents that occurred at the UN were part of a coordinated effort against him.
The first incident involved the escalator he was on, which he claimed came to a “screeching halt” while he and his team were aboard. Trump called the malfunction “absolutely sabotage.”
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric explained that the stop may have been inadvertently triggered by a US delegation videographer who ran ahead of Trump, though Trump disagreed with that explanation.
“The people that did it should be arrested,” he wrote on Truth Social.
The second issue Trump raised was a problem with the teleprompter during his speech. He said the teleprompter went “stone cold dark,” although an anonymous UN official explained that the White House was in charge of operating it.
Lastly, Trump complained that the sound was off while he spoke, making it difficult for the audience to hear him unless they were using interpreters. He shared that his wife, Melania, told him she could not hear his speech.
“This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage,” Trump said, requesting an investigation into the incidents.
Trump also urged the UN to preserve the security tapes of the escalator issue, as the Secret Service would be involved in the inquiry.
Escalator malfunctions at the UN are not uncommon, as staff and visitors are aware. In recent months, UN offices in New York and Geneva have intermittently turned off elevators and escalators as part of steps to save money because of a “liquidity crisis” at the world body. That is due in part to delays in funding from the United States, which is the top donor of the world body.
