President Donald Trump has accused the United Nations of orchestrating what he describes as ‘triple sabotage’ during his recent speech at the U.N. General Assembly. The allegations stem from a series of unfortunate events involving an escalator, a malfunctioning teleprompter, and sound system issues that arose during his visit.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump expressed his discontent, stating, ‘A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday — Not one, not two, but three very sinister events!’ He demanded an investigation into the incidents, asserting that they were orchestrated rather than mere coincidences.
The trouble for Trump began almost immediately when he and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto an escalator at the U.N. headquarters. The escalator abruptly halted for seconds, leaving the couple stranded briefly before they opted to walk the rest of the way up the stairs. Their experience was captured on video, with some dubbing the incident ‘Escalatorgate.’
Later, as Trump approached the podium to address world leaders, he noted that the teleprompter was not functioning correctly. With his trademark humor, he remarked, ‘I can only say that whoever’s operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,’ which elicited laughter from the audience.
Reflecting on the day’s mishaps, Trump quipped, ‘All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle.’ He remarked on the importance of the First Lady’s fitness, suggesting that without her physical capability to hold onto the handrail, things could have gone poorly.
Despite the technical difficulties, Trump proceeded to deliver a nearly hour-long speech. He reiterated his skepticism towards global warming, criticized Europe’s immigration policies, and called out the United Nations for allegedly undermining Western nations. Historically, Trump has been critical of the U.N., withdrawing the United States from both UNESCO and the U.N. Human Rights Council during his administrations. However, he told U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres that the U.S. stands ‘behind the United Nations 100%.’
Following the speech, Trump shared on Truth Social that he felt it was ‘very well received.’ He even suggested that the mishaps ‘probably made the speech more interesting.’
However, by Wednesday, his tone had shifted dramatically. Trump labeled the escalator incident as ‘absolutely sabotage,’ demanding those responsible be arrested. He expressed disbelief that he and Melania did not fall forward onto the escalator steps, highlighting the potential dangers of the malfunction.
On the following day, the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, announced that an investigation would proceed, indicating the organization’s readiness to cooperate with U.S. authorities to clarify the incidents.
Initial findings indicated that the escalator incident could have been caused by a U.S. videographer. According to Dujarric, the videographer, who was filming the Trumps’ ascent, inadvertently caused the escalator to halt by activating a safety mechanism designed to prevent entrapment.
Regarding the teleprompter, U.N. officials emphasized that it falls under the purview of the U.S. delegation, thus shifting responsibility back to the White House. Following these events, Mike Waltz, the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N., tweeted that the U.S. had requested a detailed explanation of the teleprompter failure, along with accountability for the escalator malfunction. He demanded a comprehensive internal investigation outcome regarding the escalator incident.
In a Tuesday evening appearance on Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested that the escalation of technical issues might not have been accidental. Pointing out the overlaps, she questioned if there was a coordinated effort behind these incidents.
Additionally, Leavitt highlighted an issue with the audio during Trump’s speech, mentioning that a conservative reporter noted the presidential audio was quieter compared to the previous speaker.
‘When you put all of this together, it doesn’t look like a coincidence to me,’ she stated, hinting at the possibility of a broader scheme against the president. The discourse provoked concern among U.N. employees, particularly in light of new revelations about potential security breaches uncovered by the Secret Service.
In his Wednesday post, Trump also continued to express discontent with the sound system, claiming that world leaders could not hear his remarks unless they used interpreters’ earpieces. He recounted his interaction with Melania, who reportedly told him, ‘I couldn’t hear a word you said.’
Clarifications from U.N. officials suggested that the acoustics of the venue were designed for meeting participants to hear speeches through earpieces translated into six different languages, indicating another layer of potential misunderstanding in Trump’s remarks.
Ambassador Waltz condemned the series of events as ‘unacceptable,’ asserting they were symptomatic of a ‘broken institution’ that poses security risks. He stated that the United States would not tolerate any threats to its security or dignity at international forums, emphasizing expectations for cooperation and action from the U.N. in response to the incidents.
The unfolding situation has garnered extensive media attention, revealing the complexities and tensions around Trump’s relationship with the U.N. As the investigations commence, both U.N. and White House officials are navigating the political implications of what some have characterized as a series of unfortunate events, while others view it through the lens of suspicion and conspiracy.
As investigations continue, the focus now shifts to how both the United Nations and the U.S. delegation address these occurrences and what conclusions will be drawn about the events during President Trump’s speech.
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