A GoFundMe campaign for a Detroit autoworker who called Donald Trump a “pedophile protector” was suspended from the Ford plant where he worked on Tuesday. But it looks like he’s going to be alright financially. A GoFundMe campaign set up for the Michigan man has already raised over $400,000 and counting.
TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old line worker, told the Washington Post he was suspended from his job for shouting “pedophile protector” at Trump during the president’s visit to the Ford F-150 plant. Trump responded, either by audibly saying or just mouthing the words, “fuck you” twice. The president then extended his middle finger as he kept walking.
Two different videos posted to social media captured the exchange, including the first published by TMZ. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended Trump’s actions, telling the Washington Post: “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.”
75 Comments
pelespirit@sh.itjust.works · 194 pts · 223d
That middle finger thing was real? Yeah, our president is a 12 year old. Can you imagine any other world leader doing this? Even north korea wouldn't do this.
sparkles@piefed.zip · 71 pts · 223d
SaneMartigan@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 223d
I thought it was shopped because it was so big.
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 222d
We still talking about his finger?
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world · 40 pts · 223d
North Korea would have him and his family and his family's extended family's extended family disappeared.
pelespirit@sh.itjust.works · 31 pts · 223d
But he wouldn't have flipped him off in the first place. Can you picture any other world leader doing this? Maybe the drug thug from the Philippines awhile back. That's all I can think of.
87Six@lemmy.zip · 9 pts · 223d
I can see Basescu doing that to a heckler then laughing with the heckler
Look him up, the Romanian ex-president. Dude had the whole weird fun uncle vibe, and as is custom to say in romania: "He stole but he also did things"
cygnus@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 223d
I could also imagine Silvio Berlusconi doing this, and he was another deeply corrupt avuncular type.
87Six@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 223d
Eh I wouldn't say Basescu was deeply corrupt. I mean, not compared to our current politicians and others from his own time.
Our last former prime minister was far, FAR worse than Basescu, along with the entire current PSD party, which are also corrupt assholes with no morals.
hitmyspot@aussie.zone · 4 pts · 223d
I think Berlusconi would have thought it was beneath him. He wasn't the same kind of petty that Trump is.
pelespirit@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 223d
Our steals things, but is also a rapist, pedophile, murderer and racist. Trump is definitely not a "fun" uncle.
87Six@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 222d
Oh yea i don't doubt that.
lolrightythen@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 223d
He was. The mask is coming off
elfpie@lemmy.eco.br · 2 pts · 222d
Today I learned that "Roubou mas fez" has a cousin in Romania.
psycho_driver@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 223d
Bolsanaro. They were all cloned in the same "worst human imaginable" septic vat.
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 222d
To the third generation.
Ferrous@lemmy.ml · -5 pts · 223d
What kind of new age cope is this?
Just letting your unabashed orientalism known to the world.
On top of this, the sheer amount of outrage over this act which had no material effect is baffling. People are so obsessed with optics, decorum, and civility that a middle finger is condemned nearly as hard as withholding healthcare from millions of Americans, or, you know, fascism rocketing towards us at Mach 10.
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 223d
Did you mean to reply to pelespirit? I was criticizing their comparison.
Ferrous@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 223d
Your sarcasm was entirely lost on me. My bad. Good meme.
lechekaflan@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 223d
Yeah.
The other bastard who did such a thing was Rodrigo Roa Duterte, currently in the Hague, under ICJ scrutiny.
CouFou@sh.itjust.works · 15 pts · 223d
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawinigan_Handshake
Soulg@ani.social · 5 pts · 223d
Wow first I'm hearing about this. Wild shit
CannonFodder@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 223d
He was ready to defend himself against an intruder using a Inuit stone carving at one point too. Although his wife was really the hero of that incident.
Adderbox76@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 223d
I miss cretien.
iamthetot@piefed.ca · 13 pts · 223d
The middle finger thing is, like, the least worst thing he's done.
CobblerScholar@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 223d
Correct but even the worst authoritarian wouldn't mock their citizens so openly. Most dictators are smart enough to know that all it takes is one bullet to kill them and this country literally has more guns than people
tonytins@pawb.social · 5 pts · 223d
Yeah. The GOP kinda bit off more than they could chew.
halcyoncmdr@piefed.social · 7 pts · 223d
The Black Panthers are coming back. Last time that's what got the GOP to pass gun control legislation.
SabinStargem@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 222d
I want the Rainbow Panthers to be passing legislation, someday. Such as making it law that ICE is abolished, wealth limits, making immigration a streamlined process, returning honors to minorities that were ousted by the Trump Regime's military, and more.
Oh, and making the heads of Trump and the other oligarchs into a Smithsonian Exhibit, as a warning to future despots.
pipe01@programming.dev · 11 pts · 223d
To be fair north Korea wouldn't do this because they'd send him to the coal mines instead lol
floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 223d
Anyone has a link? I've seen the memes but no posts of the actual incident
Edit: found one, it's TMZ but the only clip I could find. Which seems pretty sus to me. https://www.tmz.com/2026/01/13/trump-flips-off-ford-worker/
sickday@fedia.io · 4 pts · 223d
I can only think of one other [previous] world leader who'd do this and the similarities between Trump and him are many
village604@adultswim.fan · 1 pts · 223d
I could see Putin doing it
psycho_driver@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 223d
Nah Putin would have them chucked out of a window a few days later.
village604@adultswim.fan · 1 pts · 222d
I could see him getting caught on camera when he thinks he's doing it behind someone's back, though.
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today · 0 pts · 222d
Maduro
cattywampas@lemmy.world · 116 pts · 223d
I also heard that UAW is standing by his first amendment rights. So a nice payday, a fuck you to Trump, and gets to keep his job. What a happy ending, thanks unions!
Whostosay@sh.itjust.works · 51 pts · 223d
BuT wHAt aBoUt whEn I hAVe to pAy $30 bUckS a yEAr iN uNiOn DueS???
UnIon bAd
wavebeam@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 223d
Whostosay@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 223d
Poverty wages + 0 (and belief that I could have bought a PS5 instead of joining a union)
Vs
Livable wage and without a doubt more than enough money for like 15 ps5s in a year on top of that
Who would win
psycho_driver@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 223d
My union, which is substantially less powerful than the UAW, is about $120/mo for me.
wavebeam@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 222d
wavebeam@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 222d
Whostosay@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 223d
NOMYGOD
Fedizen@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 222d
It will not buy a PS5 pro, however
GlassHalfHopeful@lemmy.ca · 78 pts · 223d
There is absolutely no circumstance in which I would ever wish to meet the current president of the United States... except for this one...
To be directly told "Fuck you" by Donald is an incredible badge of honor.
And it was done twice with a bonus middle finger too?!
🥰
N0t_5ure@lemmy.world · 65 pts · 223d
It isn't an appropriate response for the President of the United States. It's the response of an insecure narcissist. A real President would ignore the guy, because responding gives the heckler power. A real President would view an unruly person screaming as insignificant and to be pitied.
Nastybutler@lemmy.world · 59 pts · 223d
The GoFundMe is now closed at just over $480k. Not a bad day's work. Well earned IMO
Raiderkev@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 223d
Why was it closed though?
Nastybutler@lemmy.world · 74 pts · 223d
TJ closed it as he thinks that's more than enough money. He says to donate to other causes if you want
VeganBtw@piefed.social · 36 pts · 223d
Damn, what a badass.
Nastybutler@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 222d
Not all heroes wear capes
Golden@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 55 pts · 223d
Obama would have been impeached for flipping the bird.
nickiwest@lemmy.world · 28 pts · 223d
Remember that time he wore a tan suit? What about the time he asked for spicy mustard? Fox played those up for days.
neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works · 12 pts · 223d
*years/decades
NoForwadSlashS@piefed.social · 10 pts · 223d
French flavour over freedom flavour? How unamerican. Telling your citizens to fuck off, now that's patriotism.
Fedizen@lemmy.world · 46 pts · 222d
This is a good precedent. You yell the truth at trump and you'll get half a million dollars.
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 39 pts · 223d
I know it's probably not the reason why he did it but this guy just bought himself job security for life. Just say that you're the guy who got told by trump yomfuck himself, and booom, job!
Same for getting sex
Same for free drinks at a bar
Trump is so big that this guy is wet for life.
He should start an activist group with the goodwill he has!
Either way, he's awesome
psycho_driver@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 223d
Trump is tiny in all the ways that matter. Tiny hands. Tiny intellect. Tiny dick.
SeptugenarianSenate@leminal.space · 9 pts · 223d
tiny dreams
nonfuinoncuro@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 222d
Raiderkev@lemmy.world · 28 pts · 223d
Fuck it, I sent him 5 bucks.
Fredselfish@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 223d
Me too.
sausager@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 223d
GoFundMe Campaign for Autoworker Who Got the ^tiniest Middle Finger From Trump Hits $400,000
Ftfy
psycho_driver@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 223d
Proud contributor to the fund.
sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz · 20 pts · 223d
Amazing sequence of events. Love when people actually get to him
ickplant@lemmy.world · 20 pts · 223d
Here’s $10 from me.
lechekaflan@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 223d
Sabula, the Landmesser and Wegert of our time.
DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 223d
I dunno what he will do with that half-a-million bucks, but I hope he keeps it for himself. I wouldn't blame him at all. Also, there's a small chance he'll need it for legal council. You never know which species of cockroach that sort of money will bring out from under the stove.
ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca · 9 pts · 223d
Question, is money from gofundme taxed?
mufasio@lemmy.ml · 12 pts · 223d
Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?
cattywampas@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 223d
Because it's a gift and therefore tax exempt!
mufasio@lemmy.ml · 11 pts · 223d
It's not after $19,000: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-releases-tax-inflation-adjustments-for-tax-year-2026-including-amendments-from-the-one-big-beautiful-bill
Thalion@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 222d
Wouldn't it be hundreds of small gifts though?
Thalion@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 222d
ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 223d
That's a shame.
Rhaedas@fedia.io · 8 pts · 223d
Wealth creator. In a monkey paw sort of way.
Baggie@lemmy.zip · 7 pts · 222d
Man, imagine what the GoFundMe would look like if that orange bastard suffered actual harm or something.
bitjunkie@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 222d
That's enough to buy like 3 Congressmen
WanderWisley@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 223d
🖕🏽 you 🫲🍊🫱!