President Donald Trump acknowledges employees during a tour of the Ford River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 (Official White House photo)

A Ford Motor Company worker who was suspended with pay for calling President Donald Trump a “pedophile protector” during the president’s tour of a Ford plant in Michigan Tuesday – a comment that sparked the commander in chief to flip him the middle finger – says he has “no regrets.”

TJ Sabula, 40, shouted the alliterative remark at Trump at the Ford River Rouge complex in Dearborn, prompting the president to verbally say “F*** you” twice to the auto worker.

“As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” Sabula told the Washington Post, noting he was about 60 feet away from Trump when he voiced his opinion, adding the president could hear him “very, very, very clearly.”

#EXCLUSIVE President Trump was filmed flipping off a Ford worker who yelled “pedophile protector” at him. https://t.co/m5nLYtWxxT pic.twitter.com/512zEYV6WC

— TMZ (@TMZ) January 13, 2026

He told the Post while he’s concerned about his job future, he believes he was “targeted for 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 said. “And today I think I did that.”

The White House says that Trump provided an “appropriate” response to Sabula.

“A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung indicated.

JUST IN: White House says it was appropriate for President Trump to FLIP OFF a heckler in Detroit who yelled “p*dophile protector”

“A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.”

MY PRESIDENT! pic.twitter.com/KwlwkDVtxx

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 13, 2026

A GoFundMe page has already been set up for Sabula, with nearly $300,000 raised by midday Wednesday.

United Auto Workers Union Vice President Laura Dickerson told TMZ: “[TJ Sabula] believes in freedom of speech, a principle we wholeheartedly embrace, and we stand with our membership in protecting their voice on the job.”

Dickerson adds: “The UAW will ensure that our member receives the full protection of all negotiated contract language safeguarding his job and his rights as a union member.”

She also took a swipe at Trump, saying: “Workers should never be subjected to vulgar language or behavior by anyone –– including the President of the United States.”

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‘F*** you!’ Trump flips the bird – twice – at heckler during Detroit auto-plant tour