President Donald Trump had a tense exchange with a person at the Ford plant during his Detroit visit. Out of the camera frame, the man could be heard calling the Republican president a ‘pedophile protector’.
His remark was a likely a reference to the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The Department of Justice released the full files after unprecedented pushback from Congress and Senate, but the documents were heavily redacted.
The administration’s actions have caused frustration in some quarters, even among conservatives, and the man’s words came against this backdrop. However, Trump was having none of it, and he shouted down ‘F**k off’ at the man, before showing him the middle finger. The president then continued to wave at the crowd, but the video of their exchange quickly went viral online.
The man who shouted at the president has now been identified as TJ Sabula.
Who is TJ Sabula?
Sabula is the 40-year-old United Auto Workers Local 600 line worker who was shouting at Trump, as per The Washington Post. He shared that he’s been suspended from work, pending an investigation.
“As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” Sabula said, adding that he was concerned about the future of his job after the public showdown.
Sabula added that he identifies as politically independent, and though he’s never voted for Trump, he has supported other Republicans.
“I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity. And today I think I did that,” Sabula said, referring to his heated exchange.
Reactions to TJ Sabula news
Sabula was cheered on by many despite him being suspended from his work. “This guy is a hero!,” one person on X remarked. Another added, “He said he has “no regrets.” He deserves a medal for his patriotism.”
Yet another added, “Someone create a GoFundMe please!”
The person continued, “Should we also boycott Ford?”. The White House, meanwhile, has backed Trump and the statement issued to various media houses says, “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.”