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The worker called the president a ‘pedophile protector’ during a January event at a Ford plant
Josh Marcus in San Francisco Monday 09 February 2026 22:43 GMT- Bookmark
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TJ Sabula, a Ford worker who heckled President Trump during a January factory visit in Michigan, still has his job and has not been disciplined, according to his union.
"TJ, we got your back," United Auto Workers Vice President Laura Dickerson reportedly said on Monday during a speech in Washington, D.C., as part of the UAW’s national political conference.
During the event, UAW President Shawn Fain also praised the 40-year-old line worker.
"That's a union brother who spoke up," Fain said, reports The Detroit News. "He put his constitutional rights to work. He put his union rights to work.”
During a January 13 visit to a Ford truck factory in Dearborn Sabula and the president had a memorable back-and-forth exchange.
open image in galleryA Ford auto worker who heckled Trump last month remains employed and hasn’t been disciplined, his union said (AFP/Getty)The 40-year-old called Trump a “pedophile protector,” in an apparent reference to the administration’s handling of the Epstein files.
The president responded by mouthing an expletive and raising his middle finger towards the worker, then reprising his TV catchphrase from The Apprentice and telling Sabula, “You’re fired.”
Sabula, a member of UAW Local 600, told The Washington Post at the time he is a political independent and has supported Republicans in the past.
“As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” Sabula explained, though he said he was worried he would be “targeted for political retribution” for “embarrassing Trump in front of his friends.”
“I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity,” Sabula told the paper. “And today I think I did that.”
open image in galleryThe Trump administration has not released the full Jeffrey Epstein files, missing a deadline in 2025 legislation compelling their release (PA Media)After the incident, a White House official told The Independent the president’s response was “appropriate.”
“A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the president gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” White House director of communications Steven Cheung said.
Crowd-funding pages raise more than $800,000 for Sabula, who was suspended after the interaction with Trump.
The Trump administration still has not released the full Epstein files, despite blowing past a statutory deadline to do so. Administration lawyers say they are still reviewing the materials to protect victim confidentiality.
A group of Epstein survivors united for an ad that aired ahead of yesterday’s Super Bowl.
“After years of being kept apart we’re standing together,” the eight women said as they called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release the remaining records.
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