Video: Trump flips off heckler calling him 'pedophile protector'
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump was filmed giving an obscene gesture to a heckler during his visit to a Ford F-150 plant in Detroit, Michigan. The incident occurred on Tuesday when a person, allegedly a factory worker, shouted "pedophile protector" at Trump. In response, the 79-year-old president raised his middle finger and mouthed an expletive.
White House
President gave appropriate response: White House
The heckler's identity remains unknown, but White House spokesperson Steven Cheung told AFP that the action was justified. "A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response," Cheung said. According to TMZ, which filmed the video, the heckler appeared to say, in part, "pedophile protector."
Twitter Post
Watch the video here
Trump tells heckler at Ford plant to "f*ck you" and flips him off 😎 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/D2fbMagg2J
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) January 13, 2026
Ongoing debate
Epstein files controversy looms over Trump's presidency
The heckler's comment seemed to refer to Trump's ties with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019. Epstein was charged with sex trafficking of minors. Trump had approved bipartisan legislation for the release of documents related to Epstein, but his Department of Justice (DOJ) has not yet completed the full disclosure, missing the December 19 deadline due to the ongoing review of over two million documents.
Document delay
DOJ's delayed release of Epstein documents sparks controversy
The DOJ has released nearly 30,000 pages of documents related to Epstein, but over two million remain under review. Trump has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein's alleged abuse and sex trafficking of girls, claiming that he ended his friendship with Epstein before the allegations surfaced. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing.