Trump demands probe into ‘sinister events’ at UN HQ
The US president has said Secret Service is looking into equipment mishaps during his visit on Tuesday
US President Donald Trump has claimed his address to the UN General Assembly this week was disrupted by deliberate sabotage and called for an investigation into the “sinister events.”
During Tuesday’s speech, in which he sharply criticized the UN for inefficiency, Trump encountered a series of technical problems. An escalator stopped while he was riding it, his teleprompter malfunctioned before he started his speech, and the first lady and other attendees reportedly could not hear him because of issues with the chamber’s sound system.
“This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN,” Trump wrote on Wednesday on Truth Social. “All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved.”
The glitches and Trump’s earlier criticisms of the UN drew media attention. Politico said in its newsletter that the headquarters building in New York City is indeed “falling into disrepair” a decade after its last renovation.
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The outlet added, however, that the problems may have stemmed from Trump’s own team. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said Trump’s videographer apparently triggered the escalator’s emergency stop by accident. The faulty teleprompter, Politico reported, was provided by Trump’s staff.
Trump said he has sent a copy of his complaint to Guterres and demanded “an immediate investigation.”