The White House issued a statement calling the heckler a "lunatic" who was "wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage," adding that the president gave an "appropriate and unambiguous response." The incident occurred while Trump was visiting the Ford plant in Michigan.
The heckler has since been suspended by Ford, according to the United Auto Workers union, which told CBS News, the BBC's U.S. partner, about the suspension. A Ford spokesperson told CBS that "one of our core values is respect and we don't condone anyone saying anything inappropriate like that within our facilities." The spokesperson added that the company has a process to deal with such incidents but does not get into specific personnel matters.
According to subtitles provided by TMZ, the heckler called Trump a "paedophile." The incident has rapidly gained traction online, highlighting the polarized political climate and the ongoing cultural clashes surrounding Trump's presidency.
Within 24 hours of the incident, two separate GoFundMe pages have raised nearly $700,000 (£521,000) for the heckler from more than 27,000 donors. This outpouring of support underscores the deep divisions within American society and the intense emotions that Trump's presence often evokes. The incident continues to be a talking point across social media and cable news, demonstrating its significant audience appeal and cultural impact.
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