Trump Flips Off Ford Worker on Camera During Controversial Plant Visit
During a visit to the Ford Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan, President Donald Trump was caught on video giving a worker the middle finger. The footage, obtained by TMZ, shows the president reacting to a person yelling at him from the factory floor. The worker reportedly shouted “ped**** protector,” and Trump appeared to respond by mouthing “f*** you” and raising his hand in a middle-finger gesture.
The White House defended Trump’s actions, telling TMZ that the worker was “wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage,” and that the president “gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” according to White House Communications Director Steven Cheung.
TMZ shares a video of Donald Trump flipping off someone yelling “pedophile protector!” at him.pic.twitter.com/EYbNaUOnlI
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 13, 2026
The worker involved, TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old line worker at Ford, confirmed to The Washington Post that he was the one shouting. He said Trump could hear him “very, very, very clearly” and that his comments were directed at the president’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Sabula has been suspended pending an internal investigation. “As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” he said.
Ford also issued a statement emphasizing respect in its facilities. David Tovar, Executive Director of Corporate Communications at Ford, told CNN, “One of our core values is respect and we don’t condone anyone saying anything inappropriate like that within our facilities. When that happens, we have a process to deal with it but we don’t get into specific personnel matters.”
This incident comes amid ongoing attention to Epstein-related documents and investigations. While the Justice Department has released thousands of files connected to Epstein following congressional pressure, Trump has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing in the matter.
The video has sparked online debate, with many questioning whether the president’s response was appropriate or unprofessional.
The exchange highlights the intense tension in political and public settings today. It also raises questions about decorum during official visits. What do you think about this incident? Share your thoughts in the comments.
