Overview
- A Jan. 13 video shows President Trump mouthing an expletive and giving the middle finger after Ford worker T.J. Sabula shouted “pedophile protector” during a tour of the River Rouge plant; the White House confirmed the video’s authenticity and defended the response.
- Sabula, a 40-year-old UAW Local 600 line worker, is suspended with pay pending discussions, according to UAW leadership, while Ford cited its respect policy and declined to address personnel specifics.
- Two GoFundMe campaigns raised about $811,010 for Sabula in roughly a day before organizers paused or closed donations, with one campaign placed on hold for a platform compliance review.
- Professional wrestling personality Jim Cornette contributed $5,000 to one of the fundraisers, one of the largest individual donations noted on the campaign pages.
- UAW officials pledged to defend Sabula’s contractual rights, and Sabula told reporters he has no regrets about his comment though he worries about potential retribution.