“We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support!” autoworker TJ Sabula said to donors.
President Donald Trump tours the assembly line at the Ford River Rouge Complex on January 13, 2026 in Dearborn, Michigan.
(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Brad Reed
Jan 16, 2026
COMMON DREAMS
Fundraisers for TJ Sabula, the auto worker who called President Donald Trump a “pedophile protector,” are being flooded with cash from supporters following news that he was suspended from his job at a Ford truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan.
Two separate GoFundMe campaigns aimed at raising money for Sabula have raked in a total of over $800,000 just three days after the auto worker heckled Trump for his attempts to block the release of files related to late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
‘He Believes in Freedom of Speech’: UAW Stands Behind Michigan Worker Flipped Off by Trump
Trump responded to Sabula’s taunts by giving him the middle finger, while appearing to mouth or yell “fuck you” back at the auto worker.
Sabula on Wednesday expressed gratitude to all the people who had chipped in for the crowdfunding campaign so far.
“We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support!” he wrote at the “TJ Sabula is a Patriot” GoFundMe page. “At this time we are closing donations to this campaign and encourage you to look for other causes and organizations to support. We appreciate every single donation, comment, share, and sign of support!”
In addition to the outpouring of support from strangers, Sabula got the backing of the United Auto Workers (UAW), which described the suspended worker as “a proud member of a strong and fighting union,” further noting that “he believes in freedom of speech, a principle we wholeheartedly embrace, and we stand with our membership in protecting their voice on the job.”
UAW vowed that Sabula will receive “the full protection of all negotiated contract language safeguarding his job and his rights as a union member.”
In a Tuesday interview published by the Washington Post, Sabula said he had “no regrets whatsoever” about yelling at the president, despite the uncertain future he now faces at his job.
“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 Post. “And today I think I did that.”
Fundraisers for worker suspended for heckling Trump top $800K
Carl Gibson
A Michigan-based Ford worker who went viral for heckling President Donald Trump has now received a flood of financial support after being suspended from his job.
The Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday that two separate crowdfunding campaigns on the GoFundMe platform for suspended Ford employee T.J. Sabula — which have been verified by the platform as legitimate — have brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars. As of 7 PM Eastern Time, the two fundraisers have brought in a total of $810,780. Both have been transferred over to Sabula, and he is now refusing additional donations due to the wave of money that's come in over the last 24 hours.
"We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support!" Sabula wrote in the final update to the fundraisers. "At this time we are closing donations to this campaign and encourage you to look for other causes and organizations to support. We appreciate every single donation, comment, share, and sign of support!"
Sabula was present at the Dearborn, Michigan Ford plant that Trump visited on Tuesday ahead of his speech at the Detroit Economic Club. When Trump walked by a crowd of workers, Sabula could be heard accusing Trump of protecting child predators. Trump appeared to mouth "f—— you" to Sabula and responded by extending a middle finger in his direction. Despite being suspended from his job, Sabula took pride in the confrontation with the president.
"As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever," Sabula told the Washington Post.
"I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity," he continued. "And today I think I did that."
White House communications director Steven Cheung defended Trump's gesture toward the Ford worker and stated: "A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response."
Click here to read the Detroit Free Press' full article.
Carl Gibson
January 14, 2026
ALTERNET
A Michigan-based Ford worker who went viral for heckling President Donald Trump has now received a flood of financial support after being suspended from his job.
The Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday that two separate crowdfunding campaigns on the GoFundMe platform for suspended Ford employee T.J. Sabula — which have been verified by the platform as legitimate — have brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars. As of 7 PM Eastern Time, the two fundraisers have brought in a total of $810,780. Both have been transferred over to Sabula, and he is now refusing additional donations due to the wave of money that's come in over the last 24 hours.
"We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support!" Sabula wrote in the final update to the fundraisers. "At this time we are closing donations to this campaign and encourage you to look for other causes and organizations to support. We appreciate every single donation, comment, share, and sign of support!"
Sabula was present at the Dearborn, Michigan Ford plant that Trump visited on Tuesday ahead of his speech at the Detroit Economic Club. When Trump walked by a crowd of workers, Sabula could be heard accusing Trump of protecting child predators. Trump appeared to mouth "f—— you" to Sabula and responded by extending a middle finger in his direction. Despite being suspended from his job, Sabula took pride in the confrontation with the president.
"As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever," Sabula told the Washington Post.
"I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity," he continued. "And today I think I did that."
White House communications director Steven Cheung defended Trump's gesture toward the Ford worker and stated: "A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response."
Click here to read the Detroit Free Press' full article.
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