The Ford employee whose heckling of US President Donald Trump prompted an obscene gesture from him has been suspended, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union said on Wednesday.
Trump raised his middle finger at the worker during a tour of Ford’s F-150 factory in Dearborn, Michigan on Tuesday, following catcalls from the employee, according to widely circulated video footage.
US media reported that the heckler shouted “pedophile protector,” an apparent reference to claims linking Trump to disclosures surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The UAW confirmed the suspension and vowed to defend the worker.
“The autoworker at the Dearborn Truck Plant is a proud member of a strong and fighting union — the UAW,” UAW Ford Department Director Laura Dickerson said in a statement.
“He believes in freedom of speech, a principle we wholeheartedly embrace, and we stand with our membership in protecting their voice on the job.”
She added that the union would ensure the employee receives “the full protection of all negotiated contract language safeguarding his job and his rights as a union member.”
Ford did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Press reports identified the worker as TJ Sabula. Efforts by AFP to reach him were unsuccessful.
Sabula confirmed to the Washington Post that his comments were linked to the Epstein scandal, saying he had no regrets despite concerns about his job.
“I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity,” Sabula, 40, told the newspaper.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a GoFundMe campaign set up in his support had raised more than $335,000.
