Donald Trump at Charlie Kirk funeral
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US President Donald Trump accused United Nations staff of sabotaging him after an escalator stopped abruptly at UN headquarters in New York just as he and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on it. The incident came shortly before his General Assembly speech, during which a teleprompter also malfunctioned. Trump claimed the glitches were deliberate, telling the audience, 'All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that, on the way up, stopped right in the middle ... then a teleprompter that didn't work'. He added that whoever controlled the teleprompter was 'in big trouble'.

The UN quickly pushed back, stating that the escalator stopped because of a built-in safety mechanism likely triggered by one of Trump's own videographers walking backward on the steps. Officials also clarified that the faulty teleprompter was managed by Trump's team, not the UN. A spokesperson said: 'This was not sabotage. It was a standard safety response. The teleprompter belonged to Mr. Trump's staff'.

The claims have since drawn sharp reactions online and from political commentators. Critics argued Trump's comments risk undermining serious diplomatic forums with personal grievances, while others pointed out the optics of blaming the UN for technical mishaps handled by his own crew. The episode has fueled renewed debate over Trump's confrontational approach on the international stage.

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