The scene occurred during the president's visit to a Ford factory in Dearborn, Michigan, US media reports. Trump was on a walkway above the factory floor when an employee heckled him as a "pedophile protector," according to video footage.
Trump turned to the person and appeared to say “fuck you” twice before raising his middle finger. He then continued his tour, waving to the employees.
White House communications director Steven Cheung confirmed the incident to The Washington Post, and referred to the worker as “a lunatic who was wildly screaming profanities in a fit of rage” and called Trump’s response “appropriate and unequivocal” in a statement.
The worker, 40-year-old TJ Sabula, told the newspaper that he "regrets nothing" and confirmed that the outburst stemmed from his frustration with Trump's handling of the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Sabula, a union member, has been suspended from work pending an investigation and admits he is worried about losing his job. A crowdfunding campaign launched in his support has raised the equivalent of 1.2 million kronor in less than a day.
