<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-swears-at-factory-worker-middle-finger-flips-off-usa-news-latest-updates-jeffrey-epstein/8a1834f9-8569-4409-ba1a-6add1e173f23" rel="" target="" title='factory worker who called Donald Trump a "paedophile protector"'><span>factory worker who called Donald Trump a "paedophile protector"</span></a><span> as the president was touring the facility has kept his job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-paedophile-protector-detroit-ford-auto-worker-heckle-swearing-donations-tj-sabula/acdc3d44-1de1-4ca0-91d8-6e7c2a2367aa" rel="" target="" title="TJ Sabula was suspended with pay"><span>TJ Sabula was suspended with pay</span></a><span> after the confrontation, where the president stuck up his middle finger and appeared to mouth the words "f--- you" at him.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But a top union official has confirmed Sabula will not lose his job and "has no discipline on his record".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/melania-trump-box-office-bomb-session-times-australia-usa-politics-news/83eb9bc0-fd79-4667-bba5-6caef958fcab" target="" title="Melania Trump's movie bombs at the Australian box office"><strong><span>Melania Trump's movie bombs at the Australian box office</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"TJ, we got your back," United Auto Workers Vice President Laura Dickerson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As UAW members, we speak truth to power. We don't just protect our rights, we exercise them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This ain't </span><em><span>The Apprentice</span></em><span>."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-paedophile-protector-ford-worker-factory-usa-news-update/243f734d-e827-4434-b693-7e105c881f49" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After Sabula was suspended with pay, a GoFundMe account raised $US330,220 ($465,000) for him in just two days.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A second account raised $US480,000 ($677,000).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sabula is working at a </span><a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/ford-not-worried-about-emissions-targets-despite-diesel-ute-specialty/?utm_source=Nine-Front-Page&amp;utm_medium=Referral" rel="" target="" title="Ford factory"><span>Ford factory</span></a><span> in Detroit.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump had visited the factory as part of a visit to the city in January.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/bill-clinton-hillary-clinton-jeffrey-epstein-files-testify-congress-house-oversight-usa-news/759f2255-ba69-4397-82c3-ab8af43d5bb2"><strong><span>Clintons make a deal that could keep them out of prison</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ford has not commented on Sabula's reinstatement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sabula said on the day he had "no regrets whatsoever".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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 </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/13/trump-ford-factory-heckler-detroit/"><em><span>Washington Post</span></em></a><span>. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And today I think I did that."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ford issued a statement which did not go into specifics about the exchange.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"One of our core values is respect, and we don't condone anyone saying anything inappropriate like that within our facilities," the auto giant's statement read.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When that happens, we have a process to deal with it, but we don't get into specific personnel matters."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/ghislaine-maxwell-donald-trump-clemency-testimony-congress-howard-lutnick-usa-politics-news/d2e0f01b-45e5-48b4-a22e-4b832c8dc95f"><strong><span>Ghislaine Maxwell offers to exonerate Trump if she's let out of prison</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded with a statement to TMZ.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the president gave an appropriate and unambiguous response," Cheung said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump has been criticised for his connection to child sex traffickers </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/jeffrey-epstein" rel="" target="" title="Jeffrey Epstein"><span>Jeffrey Epstein</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/ghislaine-maxwell" rel="" target="" title="Ghislaine Maxwell"><span>Ghislaine Maxwell</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The president was a long-time friend of both, and has obstructed efforts to disclose files gathered from a Department of Justice investigation into the two.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump called the investigation a "Democratic hoax".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>None of Epstein's victims have implicated Trump in any criminal behaviour.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/less-than-1-per-cent-of-epstein-files-released-says-us-justice-department/6354ec08-68d5-4f56-abc0-117e59967053" target="" title="Less than one per cent of Jeffrey Epstein files released"><strong><span>Less than one per cent of Jeffrey Epstein files released</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us 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