Donald Trump has demanded an investigation into what he called a triple sabotage during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.
In a post on social media, the US president referred to an escalator abruptly stopping as he and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on, a teleprompter malfunctioning during his speech, and an audio issue in the auditorium.
A UN official said the sound system was designed to allow people to hear translated speeches through earpieces.
The UN previously stated that a safety mechanism might have been triggered by Trump's videographer, who was filming while traveling backwards up the escalator, while the teleprompter in question belonged to the US delegation.
Trump criticized the incidents on Truth Social and stated he would be sending a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres demanding an immediate probe. A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday - Not one, not two, but three very sinister events! he wrote. This wasn't a coincidence; this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
He also called for the arrest of the individuals responsible for the escalator incident, referencing an article that said some UN workers joked about turning off the escalators. Trump emphasized that all security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved, he added.
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz echoed Trump's demands, labeling the incidents as unacceptable. He stressed that the US would not tolerate threats to its security or dignity at international forums. We expect swift cooperation and decisive action, he wrote on X.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt voiced concerns that someone might have intentionally stopped the escalator. She stated on X after the incident: If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately.
In response to the situation, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Guterres, claimed that Trump's videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function while filming the couple.
During his speech, Trump encountered more technical issues when he announced that the teleprompter was not functioning correctly, even though it was restored toward the end of his address. I can only say that whoever's operating this teleprompter is in big trouble, he remarked.
A UN official later clarified that the White House was responsible for operating the teleprompter at that time, plugging their equipment into the UN'ssystem. Trump highlighted audio difficulties, mentioning that the sound was completely off in the Auditorium. He lamented that world leaders, unless they used interpreters' earpieces, could not hear anything.
In response, a UN official stated that the sound system was designed to facilitate translations into six languages for attendees seated in the auditorium.
