Trump claims UN escalator sabotage as he cites teleprompter and audio issues at UN General Assembly

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday night that he and First Lady Melania Trump could have been gravely injured when the United Nations escalator malfunctioned during his Tuesday appearance at the General Assembly, calling the sequence of events deliberate sabotage and urging those responsible to be arrested.

The incident occurred as the couple arrived at the United Nations campus in New York City. Trump described the escalator as having “come to a screeching halt” and said it “stopped on a dime,” arguing that only their grip on the handrails prevented a fall onto the metal steps. He added that he and Melania could have faced a dangerous exit if they had not held on, and tied the episode to what he described as a broader dysfunction at the UN. He also pointed to a broken teleprompter and to the perception that the assembly hall’s audio was not adequate for his remarks.

Trump later claimed that the teleprompter was “stone cold dark,” saying he immediately wondered whether the day’s events reflected a pattern. He asserted that the sound system had been altered so that world leaders using interpreters’ earpieces could not hear him clearly. The White House, he said, had been operating the teleprompter at the time, and he contended that the audience’s audio issue undermined his delivery. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about those assertions.

The United Nations provided its own account, saying the escalator’s safety mechanism at the top of the comb step likely triggered the stop and that a UN technician reset the escalator after the delegation had climbed to the second floor. A UN official told the Daily Mail that the sound system is designed to provide translations in six languages via interpreters’ earpieces and that the volume is typically set low to accommodate simultaneous interpretation. The official suggested the videographer, who was filming the president and first lady, may have inadvertently triggered the mechanism. The Daily Mail quoted UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric as saying the White House’s videographer could have touched the control. The escalator was observed functioning normally for the remainder of the morning.

Trump said in a post-speech address that he would write to UN Secretary-General António Guterres to request an investigation and that security tapes should be preserved. He reiterated his charge that the incident constituted “sabotage” and implied that those responsible should be held accountable. In his comments, he used the episode to argue that the United Nations was not meeting its responsibilities, even as he touted what he described as a successful speech that had received favorable reviews.

The White House previously confirmed that the Secret Service was reviewing the escalator incident, but there was no immediate comment on Wednesday about the UN’s explanation or the investigation details. The episode occurred during Trump’s appearance before the General Assembly, a forum in which he has repeatedly criticized the U.N. and publicly pressed for reforms. While Trump framed the events as a coordinated failure, UN officials cited a routine safety feature and a standard language-translation setup, underscoring the potential for misinterpretation when the two accounts diverge. The unfolding narrative has kept attention on the broader dynamics between the Trump administration and the United Nations, even as officials emphasize safety and procedural explanations in the wake of Tuesday’s events.