US President Donald Trump was caught on video at a Michigan auto plant on Tuesday seemingly flipping off a factory employee and swearing at them after they questioned his response to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Reuters reported.
The footage of the encounter was first released by entertainment outlet TMZ, and the White House did not dispute its authenticity, Reuters reported.
“A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” White House spokesman Steven Cheung told Reuters in an email.
What happened?
While visiting the Ford F-150 assembly plant in Dearborn, Trump was reportedly targeted by a worker on the factory floor who yelled what appeared to be “pedophile protector” as he stood on an elevated walkway, according to video footage.
Trump faced the worker and seemingly reacted with a profanity, raising his middle finger before walking away.
Ford suspends man who heckled Trump
TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old line worker at Ford and a member of United Auto Workers Local 600, has been identified as the man who shouted at Trump, according to The Washington Post.
Sabula said he has since been suspended from work while the incident is under internal investigation, the report noted.
Sabula said he considers himself politically independent and, while he has never voted for Trump, he has supported other Republican candidates. “I have absolutely no regrets about calling him out,” Sabula said, noting that he was worried about the impact the confrontation might have on his job.
Trump using profanity in public
Trump has occasionally used profanity in public settings, often in response to criticism, confrontation, or to emphasise his point.
Trump has faced persistent scrutiny for his handling of sensitive federal records tied to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died by suicide in jail in 2019. Many of Trump's most loyal supporters believe the government is withholding documents that would reveal the late financier's ties to powerful public figures, Reuters reported.
Trump has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein's alleged abuse and sex trafficking of girls and has not been accused of wrongdoing.
Trump’s visit to the Michigan facility was part of an effort to highlight his administration’s support for U.S. manufacturing, a key theme as the 2026 election year unfolds.
Michigan is seen as a politically important state, and domestic jobs and industry have been central to Trump’s economic messaging.
(With inputs from Reuters)
