Jim Cornette, a longtime pro wrestling personality, says he plans to financially support TJ Sabula, a Ford Motor Company employee who was suspended after an on-the-job exchange during Donald Trump’s visit to a Ford facility in Michigan.
On Wednesday, Cornette wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he intends to give Sabula $5,000. Posting alongside a screenshot of a report about the suspension, Cornette said he had “a thank-you, a handshake and a check for $5,000 ready for him,” and asked anyone who knows Sabula to put them in touch.
Sabula, 40, is a line worker and a member of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 600. He was suspended following an incident on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, when Trump toured the Ford River Rouge Complex in Dearborn. As Trump walked along an elevated catwalk above the F-150 assembly line, Sabula shouted “pedophile protector” from the factory floor.
Video of the moment shows Trump briefly stopping, turning toward the voice, and appearing to mouth an obscenity while making a middle-finger gesture before continuing the tour.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded in a statement, saying, “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.”
After the visit, Ford suspended Sabula pending an internal investigation. A company spokesperson confirmed the move and said Ford has established procedures for addressing inappropriate language and conduct inside its facilities.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Sabula confirmed he was the worker involved and said he had “definitely no regrets whatsoever” about what he did. He added:
“I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity. And today I think I did that.”
Sabula described himself as a political independent who has supported Republican candidates in the past but said he has never voted for Trump. He said he was about 60 feet from Trump at the time and believes Trump heard him “very, very, very clearly.” He also said he fears he is being “targeted for political retribution” for exercising his free-speech rights.
In the days since his suspension, multiple online fundraising efforts have been launched. One GoFundMe titled “TJ Sabula is a patriot!!,” organized by Sean Williams, quickly exceeded its initial goals, saying the money would help cover bills and support Sabula’s family during the unpaid suspension. Another fundraiser organized by Diandra Gourlay listed similar aims. As of this writing, the combined total raised across the two efforts is over $1,000,000.
The United Auto Workers also weighed in. Laura Dickerson, UAW Vice President and Director of the Ford Department, issued a statement backing Sabula, saying:
“The autoworker at the Dearborn Truck Plant is a proud member of a strong and fighting union – the UAW. He believes in freedom of speech, a principle we wholeheartedly embrace, and we stand with our membership in protecting their voice on the job.”
Ford’s investigation remains ongoing. Whatever the outcome, Sabula appears likely to have more than a million dollars in donated support waiting once the situation is resolved.
