President Donald Trump gave the middle finger to a heckler during a tour at a Ford plant in Michigan Jan. 13, mouthing "F you" in a response the White House described as "an appropriate and unambiguous response."
The president was touring the Ford F-150 assembly facility in Dearborn when a worker on the plant floor shouted what sounded like “pedophile protector” as Trump stood on an elevated walkway, Reuters reported the video as showing. Trump turned toward the person and appeared to respond with an expletive before making a hand gesture with his middle finger as he walked off.
The entertainment site TMZ first published video capturing the exchange, and the White House did not dispute its authenticity to USA TODAY.
"A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response," Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to USA TODAY.
Other Ford employees cheered and welcomed the president as he toured the assembly line, taking photos with workers and shaking hands.
