Key Highlights:
- President’s claims involve escalator stoppage, teleprompter failure, and audio system malfunctions during his UN General Assembly appearance
- Secret Service launches formal investigation into the allegations, with demands for preservation of all security footageedition.
- UN officials attribute incidents to accidental equipment triggers and standard maintenance issues related to ongoing funding constraints
Escalator Incident Sparks Conspiracy Claims
The controversy began when an escalator at UN headquarters came to an abrupt halt shortly after President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto it while heading to the General Assembly hall. Trump described the incident as coming to a “screeching halt” and claimed it represented the first element of a plot designed to embarrass and potentially harm his administration. The president stated that only their tight grip on the handrails prevented them from falling “face first” onto the “sharp edges of these steel steps,” adding this incident to his broader narrative of institutional conspiracy.
"I’m sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation. No wonder the United Nations hasn’t been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do…" – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/froSdxZITs
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 24, 2025
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric provided a technical explanation contradicting the president’s claims, stating that a videographer from the US delegation who ran ahead of Trump may have “inadvertently” triggered the stop mechanism at the top of the escalator. The UN official explained that the escalator’s built-in safety mechanism is designed to prevent individuals or objects from becoming trapped in the machinery, challenging the foundational premise of the allegations. However, Trump remained unconvinced by this explanation, demanding that UN security tapes be preserved and calling for arrests of those responsible for what he continues to characterize as deliberate sabotage.edition.
The escalator incident gained additional significance when Trump referenced a report from The Sunday Times claiming that UN staff members had joked about disabling escalators to embarrass the US president, further fueling the conspiracy narrative. The president used this report as evidence supporting his claims, though the UN has not officially responded to these specific allegations. The escalator stoppage has become known as “EscalatorGate” among Trump supporters who view it as confirmation of the broader conspiracy theory.
Teleprompter and Audio System Failures Complete the Allegations
The second incident in the sequence involved Trump’s teleprompter going “stone cold dark” during the opening minutes of his UN address, forcing the president to deliver portions of his speech without the device. Trump initially made light of the situation, telling the assembled world leaders: “I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working. I feel very happy to be up here with you, and this way, you speak more from the heart,” but later incorporated this technical failure into his sabotage allegations. He delivered a 57-minute speech without the teleprompter, which resumed functioning about 15 minutes later, but subsequently claimed this represented deliberate interference as part of the conspiracy plot.
However, the responsibility for the teleprompter malfunction became a point of contention that complicates the narrative. A UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the White House was responsible for operating the teleprompter for the president, not the UN, potentially undermining this aspect of the claims. This contradicted Trump’s later assertions that the malfunction was part of deliberate sabotage by UN personnel, raising questions about the accuracy of his conspiracy theory.edition.
The third incident completing the sequence involved alleged sound system problems in the General Assembly auditorium. Trump claimed that after his speech, he learned “the sound was completely off” and that world leaders could only hear his remarks through interpreters’ earpieces, finalizing his allegations. First Lady Melania Trump reportedly told him she “couldn’t hear a word he said” from her front-row seat, providing what the president considers corroborating evidence for his theory. This audio issue became the capstone of the broader accusations against the UN.
Major UN funding contributors show US dominance in international organization support
Secret Service Investigation and Diplomatic Tensions
The allegations have prompted a formal Secret Service investigation, with the president demanding preservation of all security footage related to the escalator incident. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz formally requested information from UN Secretary-General António Guterres regarding the technical issues, stating that “The United States will not tolerate threats to our security and dignity at international forums” in response to the claims. The ambassador described the incidents as “unacceptable and indicative of a malfunctioning institution that creates serious safety and security risks,” lending official credibility to the investigation.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt escalated the allegations, suggesting on social media that someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on it, calling for immediate firing and investigation of those involved in the alleged conspiracy. The White House has requested findings from any UN investigation into the escalator stoppage, specifically regarding its cause and whether it constituted intentional sabotage as part of the broader plot.
The UN has maintained its position that the incidents were accidental, with Secretary-General Guterres’s office announcing late Wednesday that it would conduct a “comprehensive investigation” into the president’s concerns with “complete transparency”. However, UN officials continue to assert that the escalator safety mechanism was triggered by the White House videographer, not by any deliberate action by UN personnel, directly contradicting the narrative. The Secret Service investigation represents an unprecedented diplomatic situation where allegations create tensions between the host organization and a visiting head of state.
Secret Service maintains perfect security record for high-profile international events
Financial Context and Institutional Tensions
The allegations occur amid significant financial tensions between the United States and the United Nations that may provide context for the conspiracy claims. The UN has been experiencing what officials describe as a “liquidity crisis” partly due to delays in funding from the United States, which serves as the organization’s top donor, potentially creating an environment where such theories can flourish. In recent months, UN offices in New York and Geneva have intermittently turned off elevators and escalators as cost-saving measures due to these budget constraints, lending some credibility to equipment malfunction explanations rather than conspiracy theories.
The financial pressures have created an environment where equipment maintenance and operations have been affected by funding shortfalls, providing a more mundane explanation than the allegations suggest. Staff members at the UN have reported similar escalator issues in recent years, often tied to the organization’s financial challenges rather than any coordinated plot. These budget problems have been exacerbated by the president’s previous cuts to UN funding, including a $500 million budget reduction that resulted in approximately 20% job losses at the organization, creating potential institutional resentment that could fuel conspiracy theories.
The president’s relationship with the UN has been consistently contentious throughout his presidency, with repeated questioning of US financial contributions and calls for major organizational reforms that provide background context for the allegations. During his Tuesday speech, he criticized the UN for having “squandered its potential” and questioned the organization’s effectiveness in preventing conflicts, establishing a confrontational tone that preceded his claims. Despite these criticisms, Trump met with Secretary-General Guterres and stated that “Our country is behind the United Nations 100%” while acknowledging disagreements, though he later developed his conspiracy narrative.
Final Assessment
The Trump UN triple sabotage allegations represent a significant diplomatic controversy that combines technical malfunctions with broader tensions between the administration and international institutions. While UN officials provide technical explanations for each incident, the claims reflect deeper frustrations with the organization’s operations and effectiveness. The ongoing Secret Service investigation and UN response will likely determine whether the incidents were indeed accidental technical failures or represent more serious security and diplomatic concerns. The controversy has generated significant attention on social media and among the president’s supporters, with many echoing his claims of deliberate conspiracy. The outcome of investigations into the allegations will have lasting implications for US-UN relations and diplomatic protocol at international forums.
