this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2026
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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.”

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[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 176 points 20 hours ago (9 children)

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 67 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I thought it was shopped because it was so damn tiny.

[–] SaneMartigan@lemmy.world 15 points 17 hours ago

I thought it was shopped because it was so big.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 40 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

North Korea would have him and his family and his family's extended family's extended family disappeared.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 29 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

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 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

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"

[–] elfpie@lemmy.eco.br 2 points 2 hours ago

Today I learned that "Roubou mas fez" has a cousin in Romania.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 6 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Our steals things, but is also a rapist, pedophile, murderer and racist. Trump is definitely not a "fun" uncle.

[–] 87Six@lemmy.zip 2 points 10 hours ago

Oh yea i don't doubt that.

[–] lolrightythen@lemmy.world 0 points 17 hours ago

He was. The mask is coming off

[–] cygnus@lemmy.ca 7 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (2 children)

I could also imagine Silvio Berlusconi doing this, and he was another deeply corrupt avuncular type.

[–] 87Six@lemmy.zip 6 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

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 points 19 hours ago

I think Berlusconi would have thought it was beneath him. He wasn't the same kind of petty that Trump is.

[–] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago

Bolsanaro. They were all cloned in the same "worst human imaginable" septic vat.

[–] CouFou@sh.itjust.works 13 points 18 hours ago (2 children)
[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 4 points 15 hours ago

I miss cretien.

[–] Soulg@ani.social 5 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Wow first I'm hearing about this. Wild shit

[–] CannonFodder@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago

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.

[–] lechekaflan@lemmy.world 13 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

Yeah.

The other bastard who did such a thing was Rodrigo Roa Duterte, currently in the Hague, under ICJ scrutiny.

[–] pipe01@programming.dev 11 points 18 hours ago

To be fair north Korea wouldn't do this because they'd send him to the coal mines instead lol

[–] iamthetot@piefed.ca 11 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

The middle finger thing is, like, the least worst thing he's done.

[–] CobblerScholar@lemmy.world 11 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

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 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah. The GOP kinda bit off more than they could chew.

[–] halcyoncmdr@piefed.social 7 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

The Black Panthers are coming back. Last time that's what got the GOP to pass gun control legislation.

[–] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 2 points 8 hours ago

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.

[–] floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 19 hours ago

Anyone has a link? I've seen the memes but no posts of the actual incident

[–] sickday@fedia.io 4 points 20 hours ago

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 points 15 hours ago (1 children)
[–] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Nah Putin would have them chucked out of a window a few days later.

[–] village604@adultswim.fan 1 points 3 hours ago

I could see him getting caught on camera when he thinks he's doing it behind someone's back, though.