During a recent United Nations General Assembly meeting, questions arose regarding the functionality of both an electric escalator and a teleprompter used by former US President Donald Trump. Trump experienced difficulties reaching the podium when the escalator he and his wife, Melania, were riding on malfunctioned. This incident was followed by a teleprompter failure during his speech, prompting accusations of sabotage from Trump. He has since demanded a thorough investigation into the matter, claiming it was a deliberate attempt to undermine him. White House spokesperson Karolina Leavitt has also called for accountability for those responsible.
The United Nations has responded to Trump’s allegations. A representative of UN Secretary-General Guterres, Farhan Aziz Haq, stated that the teleprompter’s management fell under the purview of the White House. Haq emphasized that the White House was responsible for determining the teleprompter’s placement and operational details, including the roadmap for Trump’s speech. He questioned how the teleprompter malfunctioned at the last moment, given the White House’s role. Regarding the escalator, the UN maintains that it was working when Trump arrived. Before Trump, two White House cameramen used the escalator without issue. However, it stopped working after Trump and his entourage began to use it. The UN plans to release related video footage soon.
During his speech, Trump criticized the UN’s performance, citing the malfunctioning teleprompter as an example of the organization’s incompetence, suggesting the individual responsible for it would likely face job loss. Trump also addressed the impact of US funding cuts to the UN, which could result in over 3,000 job losses. Furthermore, Trump expressed concern for his wife’s safety when the escalator malfunctioned, though Melania navigated the stairs without issue.