White House defends Trump after video appears to show him swearing at heckler

The White House has defended Donald Trump's "appropriate" response to a heckler during a visit to a Ford manufacturing plant in Michigan.

Video circulating on social media, first published by celebrity news website TMZ, appears to show the US president mouthing the words "f*** you" towards someone at the facility on Tuesday.

He also gestures with his middle finger, looking down at the individual from an elevated walkway.

According to TMZ, the heckler's insults included an apparent reference to Mr Trump's relationship with the billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr Trump has consistently denied any involvement or knowledge about Epstein's sex trafficking operation. While they were once friends, the president has said he cut off the relationship before the financier was accused of abuse.

In a statement to Sky News about the video, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said: "A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the president gave an appropriate and unambiguous response."

He did not dispute the authenticity of the footage.

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Other Ford employees cheered and welcomed Mr Trump as he toured the facility, taking photos with ‍workers and shaking hands.

His visit was part of an effort to highlight his administration's support for American manufacturing.