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Union leaders continue to back the Ford employee who heckled Donald Trump during a January factory visit and say he has not been disciplined and remains employed, despite the incident drawing national attention.
TJ Sabula, a Ford worker and member of UAW Local 600, continues to have the support of union leadership and seemingly his employer, since he is still employed by them, following the exchange at a truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan.
Union support after factory exchange
United Auto Workers Vice President Laura Dickerson publicly backed the employee during the union’s national political conference in Washington, D.C.
"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.
UAW President Shawn Fain also praised Sabula’s actions and framed the incident as an example of worker voice and representation.
"That's a union brother who spoke up," Fain said. "He put his constitutional rights to work. He put his union rights to work.”
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Sabula, a 40-year-old line worker, had a direct exchange with Trump during a January 13 visit to the Ford truck factory. During the encounter, Sabula called Trump a “pedophile protector,” in an apparent reference to the administration’s handling of the Epstein files.
Trump responded by mouthing "f**k you" and raising his middle finger towards the worker, then reprised his TV catchphrase from The Apprentice, telling Sabula, “You’re fired.”
Worker response and White House reaction
Following the incident, Sabula said he stood by his decision to speak out, while acknowledging concern about possible retaliation.
“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.”
Sabula also described the moment as opportunist.
“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.”
Sabula told The Washington Post he is a political independent and has supported Republicans in the past. He was briefly suspended after the interaction and crowd-funding pages subsequently raised more than $800,000 for him.
A White House official defended the president’s reaction to the incident.
“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.
The exchange occurred as the Trump administration continues reviewing the Epstein files after missing a statutory deadline for release. Administration lawyers say they are still reviewing the materials to protect victim confidentiality.
