At a Glance
- Donald Trump raised his middle finger toward a heckler calling him a “pedophile protector” during a Michigan factory tour.
- The incident happened at Ford’s Dearborn truck plant before his Detroit speech on the U.S. economy.
- White House aide Steven Cheung defended the gesture as an “appropriate and unambiguous response.”
- Why it matters: The moment fuels fresh controversy as Trump’s name appears in newly released Epstein-related files.
President Donald Trump gestured with his middle finger Tuesday after a person shouted “pedophile protector” while he toured a Ford truck factory in Dearborn, Michigan, according to video aired by TMZ.
The clip shows Trump pointing toward an off-camera voice, mouthing words, then flashing the finger before continuing the tour ahead of an economic speech in Detroit.
White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement that night: “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.”
Ford spokesperson David Tovar replied to press inquiries: “We’ve seen the clip you’re referring to. 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.”
Epstein Files Mention
The Justice Department has released records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act that reference Trump. One email made public last month cites flight logs claiming Trump flew on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane at least eight times in the 1990s, including once with an unnamed 20-year-old woman.
Authorities have not accused Trump of wrongdoing. Both the White House and Trump have repeatedly said he did nothing improper. After the email surfaced, the Justice Department stated that some released documents “contain untrue and sensationalist claims” it labeled “unfounded and false.”
Campaign Trail Context
Trump spoke at a House Republican policy retreat the same week, warning that he “will get impeached” if Republicans lose the upcoming midterm elections.
The Dearborn factory incident marks the latest flashpoint as Trump campaigns while facing scrutiny over his appearance in the Epstein files.
