Earlier this week, President Donald Trump visited the Ford truck factory in Dearborn, Michigan, a trip that quickly sparked fresh controversy. The visit became immediate fodder for late-night television, with The Late Show host Stephen Colbert weighing in and poking fun at the situation during his monologue.
Colbert began the latest episode of The Late Show with a hilarious monologue, mocking the whole milk bill signing ceremony before shifting focus to the Ford factory incident.
During Trump’s visit to the factory, a worker, namely TJ Sabula, called the President “pe——- protector.” The 79-year-old was visibly upset upon hearing the two words and said, “f— you” to the worker twice before showing him the middle finger.
UAW issues press release supporting man who heckled President Trump at Ford factory event pic.twitter.com/zAE8lvFFZK
— Tracy Samilton (@PubRadioTracy) January 14, 2026
Revisiting the incident, Colbert praised the autoworker for using such “precise language” and said that the President’s reaction was “the most crudely hostile response.”
“You got to hand it to that autoworker for getting under Trump’s skin like compound butter on a Thanksgiving turkey. And all because he brought up the Epstein files,” the host stated.
He then posed a hard-hitting question to the Trump administration: “Where are the Epstein files?” After drawing loud laughter from the audience, Stephen Colbert reiterated, “Where are they?”
The host mentioned that Trump and his cabinet members had promised that they would release the Epstein files by the middle of last month, but have failed to do so.
“You signed a law mandating that you would have to release the Epstein files by the middle of last month, but you still haven’t. It kind of makes you seem like a, what’s the phrase? ‘Pe——- protector!’” he stated.
The Late Show host once again praised Sabula for not calling Trump a “p——–” himself, saying it is still an “unverified claim” because the files are yet to be released.
In 2024, Trump had promised that his administration would release all the files related to Jeffrey Epstein. However, the release has been delayed time and again, with the President himself snapping at reporters who questioned him about it.
NOW – Trump: “Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?! This guy’s been talked about for years… Are people still talking about this guy?!… Do you want to waste the time?!… I can’t believe you’re asking a question on Epstein at a time like this…” pic.twitter.com/j2ZttTRm1V
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 8, 2025
As per CBS, during an unrelated 2025 meeting, a reporter questioned about the missing minute in the surveillance footage outside the jail on the night of Jeffrey Epstein’s death. While the question was for Pam Bondi, but Trump snapped at the reporter, saying,
“Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy’s been talked about for years. Are people still talking about this guy? This creep? That is unbelievable.”
He continued about how insensitive it was of the reporter to ask a question about the s– offender, when tragedy had struck Texas, referring to the floods.
Though Bondi later clarified why the clip had a missing minute, the President tried to avert the question by dismissing it as something that would waste everyone’s time.
