President Donald Trump had a fiery moment during his Tuesday visit to the Ford F-150 plant in Dearborn, Michigan — responding to a heckler by flipping the bird and reportedly saying “f*ck you” after being accused of “protecting” convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The moment was caught on video and first reported by TMZ. While the full comment from the heckler was difficult to make out, the phrase “pedophile protector” was clearly heard. Trump turned to the individual, raised his middle finger, and responded in kind.
#EXCLUSIVE ? President Trump was filmed flipping off a Ford worker who yelled “pedophile protector” at him. https://t.co/m5nLYtWxxT pic.twitter.com/512zEYV6WC
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 13, 2026
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung didn’t walk it back. “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” Cheung told reporters traveling with Trump.
The incident didn’t slow the visit down. Trump continued his tour, shaking hands with Ford plant workers, posing for photos, and sitting for an interview with CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil.
During the interview, Trump discussed the state of the auto industry, specifically taking credit for halting Biden-era electric vehicle mandates.
“I want electric, and I want gasoline, and I want hybrids — I want everything,” Trump said. “But you were going to be forced, under the mandate, to buy an electric car in a very short period of time. I didn’t want that, and I ended that.”
The president’s visit to Michigan was part of a broader push to court union workers and manufacturing employees ahead of this year’s general election, where economic concerns and Biden’s green energy policies have become a flashpoint.
Despite the brief controversy, most of the Ford employees present welcomed Trump with enthusiasm. Photos and video from the tour show Trump smiling with workers and being applauded by many on the factory floor.
The incident is unlikely to sway Trump’s core base, and if anything, may further cement his image as a president unafraid to hit back — no matter the setting.
The post Trump Flips Off Auto Worker During Ford Plant Tour After Epstein Remark appeared first on Real News Now.
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