Politics'Struck a Nerve?': Gavin Newsom Trolls Donald Trump After Middle Finger Moment
Gavin Newsom taunted Donald Trump after he made an obscene gesture at a factory worker during a Michigan visit.
Jan. 15 2026, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked President Donald Trump after a video showed him making an obscene gesture at a heckler.
The incident happened during a visit to a Ford plant in Michigan on Tuesday, January 13.
'Pedophile Protector'
Donald Trump appeared to make an obscene gesture toward a heckler while touring a Ford manufacturing plant in Michigan.
Trump, 79, toured the factory when a worker called him a "pedophile protector," referencing frustration over the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Video obtained by TMZ shows Trump pointing at the worker, saying "f---- you," then raising his middle finger. He walked on, smiling and waving.
Gavin Newsom's Response
The incident occurred after a factory worker shouted criticism related to the Epstein files during Donald Trump’s visit.
"Struck a nerve?" Newsom commented in a since-deleted tweet on X about the incident, according to The Independent. "Why is the President attacking a fellow American?"
The Democratic Party also responded on X, joking that the worker is the "employee of the month tbh."
The Washington Post has since identified the worker as 40-year-old line worker TJ Sabula.
The worker said he has been suspended while the company investigates the incident.
He told the outlet, "As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever."
Sabula also claimed he has been "targeted for political retribution" for "embarrassing Trump in front of his friends."
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
'Lunatic'
California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked Donald Trump’s reaction on social media.
The White House is aware of the incident and quickly responded in Trump’s favor.
"A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response," White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung told The Independent.
What's Happening With the Epstein Files?
The White House defended Donald Trump’s response as the incident.
By December 19, 2025, the Department of Justice confirmed it had made 12,285 Epstein-related files publicly available, meeting the Congressional deadline under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Despite this, the DOJ said millions of documents are still being reviewed. Newsweek noted that releasing the full collection could take over eight years, far beyond the end of Trump’s current term.
The department said it has deployed substantial resources to speed up the process. A court filing from the same day reported that more than 400 DOJ attorneys and over 100 FBI analysts are working on reviewing and redacting sensitive material.
Officials emphasized that careful handling is required to protect the privacy of victims and witnesses. Still, survivors and lawmakers have expressed frustration over the slow pace, especially after the bill became law when Trump signed it on November 19, 2025.
Even Senator Chuck Schumer recently slammed the Trump administration, arguing that they didn't complete the steps to have the files released on a certain date.
He questioned: "What are they trying to hide?"
