President Trump flipped off a Ford worker who called him a “pedophile protector” during a Michigan plant tour, leading to the worker’s suspension without pay, according to video footage and statements from officials.
The confrontation, captured on video from inside the Ford Rouge complex during Trump’s January 13, 2026 visit to the Dearborn Truck Plant, shows the president responding with a middle finger after UAW Local 600 line worker TJ Sabula shouted the insult. Rep. Rashida Tlaib later identified Sabula as “a father of two” who was subsequently suspended by Ford following the incident.
“The president responded to TJ with his middle finger saying ‘f*** you’ and ‘you’re fired’. Ford responded by suspending TJ without pay,” Tlaib wrote in a statement after the incident gained attention online.
Political Fallout
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel didn’t hold back in his assessment of the interaction. “I never thought we would see an American president welcome Chinese automakers and tell an American autoworker to fuck off… but here we are,” Hertel stated. “Although we’re not as surprised since he has been telling working people to fuck off since last January. Donald Trump is a disaster for Michigan workers.”
The White House, however, defended Trump’s response. Communications Director Steven Cheung told TMZ that “a lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” according to reports.
For his part, Sabula expressed no remorse for the confrontation. “As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” he told The Washington Post. “I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity.”
Ford’s Response
Ford Motor Co. addressed the incident without directly commenting on Sabula’s employment status. “We’ve seen the clip you’re referring to. One of our core values is respect, and we don’t condone anyone saying anything inappropriate like that within our facilities,” the company explained. “When that happens, we have a process to deal with it, but we don’t get into specific personnel matters.”
The confrontation came during what was otherwise a celebratory visit highlighting Ford’s manufacturing expansion. Trump toured the facility where F-150 trucks — including gas-powered, hybrid, and Raptor models — are produced, while touting his administration’s trade policies.
What’s behind the expansion? Trump credited his tariff policies, including a 100% tariff on Chinese vehicles, for boosting U.S. manufacturing and encouraging plant expansions.
Ford Executives Praise Administration
Despite the worker confrontation, Ford executives expressed enthusiasm about working with the Trump administration. Executive Chairman Bill Ford noted the Dearborn plant is expanding to 24-hour shifts, six days a week, and praised the relationship with the president.
“We have a great relationship with the President and his whole staff. They’ve been great to work with for us. He, personally, is incredibly responsive every time we need something or call — and we very much appreciate it,” Ford remarked during the visit. “We couldn’t be more excited. We’re adding market share. We’re growing as a company. We’re adding jobs…”
CEO Jim Farley confirmed expansion plans that he attributed to administration policies. “We’re adding a combustion truck, an affordable one, in Tennessee… That’s what these policies are doing for Ford. We’re going to actually expand one of our existing plants and make a different kind of truck there,” Farley said.
Ford currently assembles more than 80% of its U.S.-sold vehicles domestically and employs the most hourly autoworkers in America, according to company information.
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between Trump’s pro-manufacturing policies that executives have praised and his often confrontational style that continues to divide workers on factory floors across America.
