Suspended Ford Worker TJ Sabula, Who Called Trump a ‘Pedo Protector,’ Sparks Two GoFundMe Campaigns Raising Six Figures

A Michigan Ford autoworker who was suspended after confronting President Donald Trump during a factory visit says he has no regrets — and public support for him has surged, with two GoFundMe campaigns raising more than six figures in a matter of days.

TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old line worker at the Ford Rouge plant and a married father of two, was suspended after calling Trump a “pedophile protector” while the president toured the facility Tuesday. The remark appeared to reference the ongoing controversy surrounding the unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files.

According to The Washington Post, the confrontation escalated when Trump responded by cursing at Sabula and giving him the middle finger as he walked past on an overhead gangway. Video from the scene shows Trump pointing toward a heckler below and mouthing “f*** you” before gesturing obscenely as he moved on.

“As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” Sabula told the outlet. “I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity. And today I think I did that.”

White House spokesman Steven Cheung downplayed the incident, telling Daily Mail that “a lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage,” adding that the president’s response was “appropriate and unambiguous.”

Ford Motor Company confirmed Sabula’s suspension but declined to discuss specifics. “One of our core values is respect, and we don’t condone anyone saying anything inappropriate like that within our facilities,” a company spokesperson said. “When that happens, we have a process to deal with it, but we don’t get into specific personnel matters.”

GoFundMe Campaigns Gain Momentum

In the hours following Sabula’s suspension, two GoFundMe fundraisers were launched on his behalf, quickly drawing national attention.

The first, titled “TJ Sabula is a patriot!” and organized by Sean Williams, calls on supporters to help Sabula cover bills and pressure the administration to release the Epstein files. As of early Wednesday, the fundraiser had raised approximately $134,000 from more than 5,700 donors.

A second campaign, “Support Ford Worker TJ Sabula during Suspension,” was created by Diandra Gourlay, a longtime family friend. That fundraiser emphasizes Sabula’s role as a father, husband, and United Auto Workers Local 600 member. It had raised more than $16,400 from 569 donors by early Wednesday.

Broader Political Context

The confrontation comes as Trump continues to face pressure from both parties to release the full archive of Jeffrey Epstein–related documents. The Department of Justice has so far released only a small portion of the files, weeks after a congressional deadline.

Trump has dismissed renewed calls for disclosure as a “Democrat hoax,” sparking criticism from some Republicans. While Trump and Epstein were socially connected in the 1990s and early 2000s, Trump has said he later banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago, calling him a “creep.”

Following his suspension, Sabula updated his Facebook profile picture to an image of Trump making an obscene gesture — a move that has further fueled attention and debate around the incident.