By Bo Erickson and Jarrett Renshaw
DEARBORN, Michigan, Jan 13 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump raised his middle finger and appeared to direct profanity toward a factory worker who expressed criticism of his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy at a Michigan auto plant on Tuesday, video circulating online showed.
The entertainment site TMZ first published video capturing the exchange, and the White House did not dispute its authenticity.
“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.
Trump was touring the Ford F-150 assembly facility in Dearborn when a worker on the plant floor shouted what sounded like “pedophile protector” as the president stood on an elevated walkway, the video showed. Trump turned toward the individual and appeared to respond with an expletive before making a hand gesture with his middle finger as he walked off.
Other Ford employees cheered and welcomed the president as he toured the assembly line, taking photos with workers and shaking hands.
Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford, speaking with the media at an event later, called the incident unfortunate and said he was embarrassed by it.
“That was six seconds out of an hour tour. And the tour went great,” he said. “I think he really enjoyed it and we did too.”
Trump has occasionally used profanity in public settings, often in response to criticism, confrontation or to emphasize 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. 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.
(Reporting By Bo Erickson and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Lincoln Feast and Mike Colias.)
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