Ford was strongly opposed to labor unions, viewing them as detrimental to productivity and innovation. He resisted unionization efforts at his plants for many years, sometimes violently.

Ford unsuccessfully ran for the US Senate as a Democrat. This was a brief but notable foray into direct political involvement, though he was ultimately defeated.

Ford financed the publication of 'The International Jew,' a series of antisemitic articles that were later compiled into a book. This publication promoted harmful stereotypes and contributed to anti-Jewish prejudice.

Ford accepted the Grand Cross of the German Eagle from Nazi Germany, further damaging his reputation and raising concerns about his political sympathies. While he likely saw it as a business move, the optics were incredibly poor.

Ford issued a public apology for his antisemitic writings, though the sincerity of the apology has been questioned by historians and critics.