“We’ve Got Your Back”: Ford Employee Who Challenged Trump Faces No Union Penalty
TJ Sabula, a Ford employee, continues his role at the company without facing any disciplinary action after confronting President Trump during a factory visit in Michigan this past January.
“TJ, we’ve got your back,” stated United Auto Workers Vice President Laura Dickerson on Monday at a national political conference in Washington, D.C., as she expressed solidarity with Sabula.
UAW President Shawn Fain also commended the 40-year-old line worker, emphasizing the importance of standing up for one’s rights. “That’s a union brother who spoke up,” Fain remarked, according to reports. “He put his constitutional rights to work. He put his union rights to work.”
The exchange between Sabula and Trump occurred on January 13 at a Ford truck factory in Dearborn, where Sabula labeled the president a “pedophile protector,” referencing the administration's handling of the Epstein files.
Trump’s reaction included mouthing an expletive and raising his middle finger at Sabula, before echoing his famous catchphrase from The Apprentice: “You’re fired.”
Sabula, affiliated with UAW Local 600, shared with The Washington Post that he identifies as a political independent and has previously supported Republican candidates.
“As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” Sabula stated, although he expressed concern about potential 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,” he added. “And today I think I did that.”
Following the incident, a White House official characterized Trump’s response as “appropriate.” White House communications director Steven Cheung described Sabula’s actions as those of “a lunatic wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage,” asserting that the president’s reaction was fitting.
Crowdfunding efforts have raised over $800,000 for Sabula after he faced suspension following his confrontation with Trump.
Despite surpassing a statutory deadline, the Trump administration has yet to release the complete Epstein files. Administration lawyers claim they are still reviewing the documents to ensure victim confidentiality is maintained.
A coalition of Epstein survivors recently came together for an advertisement aired ahead of the Super Bowl, urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to disclose the remaining records. “After years of being kept apart we’re standing together,” declared the eight women involved in the campaign.
