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submitted 4 months ago by tonytins@pawb.social to c/news@lemmy.world

A GoFundMe campaign for a Detroit autoworker who called Donald Trump a “pedophile protector” was suspended from the Ford plant where he worked on Tuesday. But it looks like he’s going to be alright financially. A GoFundMe campaign set up for the Michigan man has already raised over $400,000 and counting.

TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old line worker, told the Washington Post he was suspended from his job for shouting “pedophile protector” at Trump during the president’s visit to the Ford F-150 plant. Trump responded, either by audibly saying or just mouthing the words, “fuck you” twice. The president then extended his middle finger as he kept walking.

Two different videos posted to social media captured the exchange, including the first published by TMZ. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended Trump’s actions, telling the Washington Post: “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.”

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[-] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 25 points 4 months ago

That middle finger thing was real? Yeah, our president is a 12 year old. Can you imagine any other world leader doing this? Even north korea wouldn't do this.

[-] sparkles@piefed.zip 10 points 4 months ago

I thought it was shopped because it was so damn tiny.

[-] SaneMartigan@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

I thought it was shopped because it was so big.

[-] pipe01@programming.dev 2 points 4 months ago

To be fair north Korea wouldn't do this because they'd send him to the coal mines instead lol

[-] floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Anyone has a link? I've seen the memes but no posts of the actual incident

Edit: found one, it's TMZ but the only clip I could find. Which seems pretty sus to me. https://www.tmz.com/2026/01/13/trump-flips-off-ford-worker/

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

North Korea would have him and his family and his family's extended family's extended family disappeared.

[-] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 months ago

But he wouldn't have flipped him off in the first place. Can you picture any other world leader doing this? Maybe the drug thug from the Philippines awhile back. That's all I can think of.

[-] 87Six@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 months ago

I can see Basescu doing that to a heckler then laughing with the heckler

Look him up, the Romanian ex-president. Dude had the whole weird fun uncle vibe, and as is custom to say in romania: "He stole but he also did things"

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[-] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

Bolsanaro. They were all cloned in the same "worst human imaginable" septic vat.

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[-] village604@adultswim.fan 1 points 4 months ago

I could see Putin doing it

[-] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

Nah Putin would have them chucked out of a window a few days later.

[-] iamthetot@piefed.ca 1 points 4 months ago

The middle finger thing is, like, the least worst thing he's done.

[-] CobblerScholar@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Correct but even the worst authoritarian wouldn't mock their citizens so openly. Most dictators are smart enough to know that all it takes is one bullet to kill them and this country literally has more guns than people

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[-] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 21 points 4 months ago

The GoFundMe is now closed at just over $480k. Not a bad day's work. Well earned IMO

[-] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago
[-] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 29 points 4 months ago

TJ closed it as he thinks that's more than enough money. He says to donate to other causes if you want

[-] VeganBtw@piefed.social 12 points 4 months ago

Damn, what a badass.

[-] cattywampas@lemmy.world 19 points 4 months ago

I also heard that UAW is standing by his first amendment rights. So a nice payday, a fuck you to Trump, and gets to keep his job. What a happy ending, thanks unions!

[-] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 11 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

BuT wHAt aBoUt whEn I hAVe to pAy $30 bUckS a yEAr iN uNiOn DueS???

UnIon bAd

[-] wavebeam@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago

$30 a month! That adds up to a PS5, totally not worth it! /s

[-] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 months ago

Poverty wages + 0 (and belief that I could have bought a PS5 instead of joining a union)

Vs

Livable wage and without a doubt more than enough money for like 15 ps5s in a year on top of that

Who would win

[-] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

My union, which is substantially less powerful than the UAW, is about $120/mo for me.

[-] wavebeam@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago

Worth every penny I’m sure. I was making a reference to the anti-union propaganda that tried to argue union dues were worth trading for a PS5

[-] wavebeam@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago

Lmao I looked it up, on my delta flight… it was a delta ad: https://thehustle.co/delta-airlines-anti-union-video-games

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

It will not buy a PS5 pro, however

[-] GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca 18 points 4 months ago

There is absolutely no circumstance in which I would ever wish to meet the current president of the United States... except for this one...

To be directly told "Fuck you" by Donald is an incredible badge of honor.

And it was done twice with a bonus middle finger too?!

🥰

[-] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 12 points 4 months ago

I know it's probably not the reason why he did it but this guy just bought himself job security for life. Just say that you're the guy who got told by trump yomfuck himself, and booom, job!

Same for getting sex

Same for free drinks at a bar

Trump is so big that this guy is wet for life.

He should start an activist group with the goodwill he has!

Either way, he's awesome

[-] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

Trump is so big that this guy is wet for life.

Trump is tiny in all the ways that matter. Tiny hands. Tiny intellect. Tiny dick.

[-] SeptugenarianSenate@leminal.space 5 points 4 months ago

tiny dreams

[-] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 11 points 4 months ago

Proud contributor to the fund.

[-] Golden@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 4 months ago

Obama would have been impeached for flipping the bird. 

[-] nickiwest@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago

Remember that time he wore a tan suit? What about the time he asked for spicy mustard? Fox played those up for days.

[-] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 6 points 4 months ago

*years/decades

[-] NoForwadSlashS@piefed.social 3 points 4 months ago

French flavour over freedom flavour? How unamerican. Telling your citizens to fuck off, now that's patriotism.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 7 points 4 months ago

This is a good precedent. You yell the truth at trump and you'll get half a million dollars.

[-] sausager@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago

GoFundMe Campaign for Autoworker Who Got the ^tiniest Middle Finger From Trump Hits $400,000

Ftfy

[-] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

It isn't an appropriate response for the President of the United States. It's the response of an insecure narcissist. A real President would ignore the guy, because responding gives the heckler power. A real President would view an unruly person screaming as insignificant and to be pitied.

[-] ickplant@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

Here’s $10 from me.

[-] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

Fuck it, I sent him 5 bucks.

[-] Fredselfish@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago
[-] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago

I dunno what he will do with that half-a-million bucks, but I hope he keeps it for himself. I wouldn't blame him at all. Also, there's a small chance he'll need it for legal council. You never know which species of cockroach that sort of money will bring out from under the stove.

[-] sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Amazing sequence of events. Love when people actually get to him

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this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2026
125 points (100.0% liked)

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