White House defends Trump over middle-finger gesture at heckler

'Appropriate and unambiguous': White House defends Trump over middle-finger gesture at heckler The White House has defended US President Donald Trump after he aimed an offensive gesture at a heckler during his appearance at a Ford factory in Detroit on Tuesday. Footage of the incident published by TMZ appears to show the president responding to a man who shouted at him from afar. The White House said: A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response. The heckler has been suspended by Ford, the United Auto Workers union told the BBC's US partner, CBS News. A Ford spokesperson told CBS: One of our core values is respect and we don't condone anyone saying anything inappropriate like that within our facilities.