DEARBORN, MI — During a tour of the Ford River Rouge Complex on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, President Donald Trump was filmed engaging in a heated exchange with a factory worker. The confrontation, captured in a viral video obtained by TMZ, saw the President mouthing profanities and raising his middle finger toward a heckler on the assembly floor.
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The remark reportedly referred to the administration’s controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, which have seen significant redactions and missed release deadlines by the Department of Justice.
The President’s Reaction:
- Expletives: Video shows Trump stopping, pointing at the worker, and twice mouthing “f* you.”**
- The Gesture: As he continued walking, the President raised his middle finger toward Sabula before eventually waving to other supportive workers in the area.
Official Responses
The White House and Ford Motor Co. offered starkly different takes on the afternoon’s events:
| Entity | Stance | Official Statement |
| White House | Defensive | Communications Director Steven Cheung called the heckler a “lunatic” and stated the President gave an “appropriate and unambiguous response.” |
| Ford Motor Co. | Neutral/Regretful | Executive Chairman Bill Ford called the moment “unfortunate,” while a spokesperson noted they do not condone inappropriate behavior and are handling the personnel matter internally. |
| The Worker | Unrepentant | TJ Sabula told The Washington Post he has “no regrets whatsoever,” despite being suspended from his job pending an investigation. |
Context: A High-Stakes Michigan Visit
The factory tour was intended to be a victory lap for the President’s “Make Driving Great Again” agenda. Earlier in the day, he spoke to the Detroit Economic Club, touting new tariffs on foreign trade partners and the revival of domestic manufacturing.
While the gesture dominated headlines, the President was also seen interacting warmly with many other Ford employees, many of whom stopped to take selfies and cheer as he toured the facility alongside CEO Jim Farley and Bill Ford.
