Trump gives middle finger, curses heckler who called him a ‘paedophile protector’ at factory visit

DETROIT - US President Donald Trump was caught on camera on Jan 13 responding obscenely to a heckler during a visit to an auto plant in Michigan, according to a video circulating on social media.

During a tour of the Ford F-150 factory in Detroit, Michigan, Mr Trump is seen on an elevated walkway overlooking the factory floor dressed in a long black overcoat.

After some shouting, he appeared to point at the heckler on the factory floor, scowling and saying a few choice words, before raising a middle finger.

The heckler has not been identified, but White House spokesman Steven Cheung told AFP that they got what they deserved.

“A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” Mr Cheung said.

The heckler seemed to shout, in part, “paedophile protector”, TMZ reported.

After the incident, the worker who shouted at the president was suspended, the United Auto Workers union that represents workers at the auto plant told Reuters.

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford, speaking with the media at an event later, called the incident unfortunate and said he was embarrassed by it.

The 79-year-old Republican’s second term has been dogged by demands to release the

files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein,

who was once a friend to Mr Trump and the jet set.

Epstein, a financier, was awaiting trial for allegedly trafficking underage girls when he died in a New York jail cell in 2019 – a death officially ruled a suicide but long the subject of conspiracy theories amplified by Mr Trump’s supporters.

Mr Trump approved bipartisan legislation to release the files, but his Department of Justice has failed to meet the Dec 19 deadline to release them all.

Earlier this month, justice officials said it was still reviewing more than two million documents for release. AFP