Suspended Michigan autoworker who heckled Trump gets outpouring of donations

Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for an autoworker at a Ford plant in Michigan who was suspended without pay after heckling Donald Trump.

TJ Sabula is said to have called the president a “pedophile protector” as Trump toured the automotive giant’s River Rouge complex on Tuesday.

Trump then appeared to give Sabula the middle finger, according to a video published by celebrity news and gossip site TMZ, which claimed that Trump also yelled obscenities prior to making the gesture.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Sabula said “as far as calling him out” he had “definitely no regrets whatsoever”. But he said he was concerned about his job security after the incident, claiming he had been “targeted for political retribution” and for “embarrassing Trump in front of his friends”.

A GoFundMe was created on his behalf to help cover lost income from the suspension. As of Wednesday lunchtime, it had raised more than $150,000, with purported donors including the band the Dropkick Murphys.

“TJ is a father of two young children, husband, and is a proud United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 600 line worker. Funds donated will support TJ and his family to cover expenses during this time of uncertainty,” the GoFundMe campaign states.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/14/trump-suspended-michigan-autoworker