Ford worker who heckled Trump was not disciplined and kept his job, UAW says
Ford MotorFord Motor(US:F) Fox Business·2026-02-10 03:16

Group 1: Incident Overview - A Ford worker, TJ Sabula, confronted President Trump during his visit to the Ford River Rouge complex, calling him a "pedophile protector" [1][5] - The incident occurred while Trump was touring the plant, and he responded by mouthing expletives and giving the middle finger [1][12] - The United Auto Workers (UAW) union confirmed that Sabula was not disciplined and retains his job, emphasizing support for his right to free speech [6][8] Group 2: Reactions and Statements - UAW Vice President Laura Dickerson remarked that Trump's response was inappropriate and not reflective of how a president should treat working people [5][6] - Ford's executive chairman, Bill Ford, expressed embarrassment over the incident, calling it unfortunate [6] - The White House defended Trump's reaction, labeling Sabula as a "lunatic" and asserting that the president's response was appropriate [12] Group 3: Sabula's Perspective - Sabula stated he has "no regrets whatsoever" about his confrontation with Trump, believing he seized an important opportunity [8] - He expressed concerns about potential political retribution for embarrassing Trump in front of his associates [8][11] - Sabula identified himself as a political independent who had not voted for Trump but had supported other Republican candidates [11]