US President Donald Trump was caught on camera giving the finger to a civilian during a tour of the Michigan Ford plant on Tuesday. POTUS 47 can be seen saying 'F**K YOU' from an elevated platform as somebody was heard shouting "pedophile protector" at him.
Multiple US media outlets have confirmed the unusual reaction from the US President, and the White House has reportedly defended his action. “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” CNN claimed White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said in a statement after the video went viral on the internet.
Originally released by TMZ, the viral video showed an unhappy Trump staring at somebody on the factory floor as he walked through part of an elevated floor. He made the offensive gesture using his right hand, along with cussing 'F**K YOU' twice. Meanwhile, CNN identified a 40-year-old factory worker called TJ Sabula as the man who offended Trump. He has been suspended from work pending an investigation, the report said.
Who is TJ Sabula?
Trump could hear him “very, very, very clearly” and said he was specifically referencing the president’s handling of the matter around the late sex offender.
The man identified himself as a citizen with no clear political lineage. He has never voted for Trump but had backed other Republican leaders in the past.
Meanwhile, Sabula confirmed to the US press that it is the President's association with Jeffrey Epstein that fuelled his actions. The United Auto Workers Local 600 line worker at the Ford setup added that he was certain that Trump heard him “very, very, very clearly” despite the glasses. Amidst the backlash that could cost him his job, Sabula reportedly said that he has "definitely no regrets whatsoever" for his actions.
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However, he is not completely carefree, as he told The Washington Post that he is indeed concerned about job security as a consequence of the incident. He believes he has been “targeted for political retribution” for “embarrassing Trump in front of his friends,” the Post reported.
Trump and Epstein files
President 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.Trumps visit to the Michigan facility was part of an effort to highlight his administrations support for US 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 Trumps economic messaging.