Moment of anger occurred after brand employee called Donald Trump a 'pedophile protector', in reference to the Epstein Files
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, starred in a controversial episode on Tuesday (13) when he made an obscene gesture in response to a protest during a visit to a Ford plant in the state of Michigan. The incident occurred while the Republican was inspecting the assembly line of the F-150 pickup, the country’s best-selling vehicle and symbol of the American automotive industry.
In videos circulating on social media, it is possible to see Trump reacting to shouts coming from the factory floor. According to reports confirmed by the local press, an employee would have shouted “pedophile protector”, in reference to the government’s conduct of documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The president, who was watching the production from an elevated catwalk, pointed at the protester, articulated what appeared to be a ‘fuck you’ slur and gave the middle finger.
WATCH: Trump shows his middle finger and appears to say “fuck you” after Ford worker yells “pedophile protector” – TMZ pic.twitter.com/aFsDmrvkr7
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 13, 2026
The White House called the response “appropriate and unequivocal” to what it called an individual’s “fit of rage.” Ford, for its part, reported that the employee involved was suspended, reiterating that it does not tolerate disrespectful behavior in its facilities, although it classified the presidential visit as a “major event”.
The episode partially overshadowed the economic agenda of the trip. In a subsequent speech at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump defended his tariff policy and extolled the recovery of manufacturing in the US. Michigan is considered a crucial swing state for the Republican Party’s political pretensions, and the support of unionized workers — such as those at Ford — is a key piece of the electoral strategy.
