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By Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump appeared to respond angrily to a heckler during a tour of a Ford F-150 plant in Detroit on Tuesday, according to a video circulating widely online first published by TMZ. A worker on the factory floor can be heard shouting "pedophile protector," seemingly referencing Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein, prompting the president to turn toward the man.
The video shows Trump appearing to utter an expletive in reply before making a hand gesture interpreted by many viewers as flipping him off. The exchange came as renewed attention on the slow release of federal records tied to the Epstein case continues to fuel criticism.
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Steven Cheung, assistant to President Trump and White House director of communications, told Newsweek in an email response, "A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response."
The Ford employee who was flipped off by President Trump after he heckled him later said he has “no regrets” about calling the president out.
TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old United Auto Workers Local 600 line worker at the Ford F-150 plant in Dearborn, Michigan, told The Washington Post that he was the one who shouted at Trump during his tour. He told the newspaper he had been suspended from work pending an investigation.
An online fundraiser for Sabula has raised more than $150,000 in just a few hours.
"Please help us raise funds for patriot TJ Sabula!! TJ was suspended from his job at the Ford Automotive Company for correctly calling President Donald J. Trump [DJT] a pedophile protector!!," Sean Williams, the organizer, wrote on the page.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration has faced criticism for the slow and incomplete release of files relating to Epstein, which has sparked frustration among lawmakers and victims, as well as calls for investigations and potential penalties against the DOJ and its leadership.
What To Know
The delayed pace at which the Trump administration is releasing files related to the late sex offender means it could be several years before it meets Congress’s mandate for full transparency.
On Monday, the Justice Department told a court it had released 12,285 files since being compelled to do so on December 19. However, it went on to say that there are "more than 2 million documents" that remain in "various phases of review."
Despite hundreds of attorneys and "substantial Department resources" being devoted to the effort, the released materials represent less than one percent of the total volume in the DOJ’s possession. Assuming all those under review will be disclosed, the entire process would take over eight years to complete.
"While the commitment of Department personnel to this effort has been substantial in breadth and impressive in effort, substantial work remains to be done," the Justice Department said in Monday’s filing.
Per the terms of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan bill which passed both chambers and was signed into law on November 19, the Justice Department had 30 days to publicly release all unclassified records, files, communications and investigative materials on Epstein. Minimal redactions were permitted to safeguard victims' identities and national security, and to ensure ongoing investigations were not jeopardized by the publication.
While the Department unveiled a trove of photos and documents relating to Epstein on the December 19 deadline, it was scrutinized for failing to release all those in its possession, for heavy redactions in the released files, and for removing images featuring President Trump.
One of Epstein’s victims called the file drop "a slap in our faces," and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who introduced the legislation alongside Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, accused the DOJ of "selective concealment."
At the time, the DOJ said it planned to release additional documents incrementally, attributing this delay to the difficult process of removing survivors’ names and other personal information.
On Christmas Eve, the Department said it had been informed of the existence of "over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case," and said reviewing these "may take a few more weeks."
And last week, The Associated Press and New York Times reported that the DOJ had expanded its review of Epstein-related documents to over five million records.
On Monday, the DOJ said it had enlisted over 400 lawyers to focus on reviewing the documents in its possession, and outlined its updated process for handling the mountain of materials.
What Happens Next
While the Department of Justice has said its staff are working overtime to review and release all Epstein-related documents, pressure is building in Congress for an inquiry into the delayed process.
A handful of senators have called on the Department of Justice’s watchdog to investigate its failure to release all records pertaining to Epstein by the congressionally mandated deadline. Meanwhile, Massie and Khanna have said they are considering holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in inherent contempt over the matter.
Updates: 1/13/26, 5:34 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 1/14/26, 7:58 a.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
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