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Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics
The Ford River Rouge worker who publicly branded Donald Trump a 'pedophile protector' this week has been suspended.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday (13 Jan) whilst the Republican leader was touring a Ford F-150 plant at the Detroit Economic Club in Michigan, after which he'd been scheduled to deliver a speech.
He was joined by Ford's executive chairman, Bill Ford, and Jim Farley, the company president and CEO.
In footage which has since gone viral, cited by TMZ, a man out of camera view can be heard yelling, 'pedophile protector' at Trump, 79, amongst other undeterminable insults.
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The President was then said to have responded by mouthing the words 'F**k you' at the gentleman in question, as well as giving him the middle finger.
His reaction has since been approved by White House officials, who claim Trump gave an 'appropriate' response.
White House director of communications Steven Cheung said in a statement: "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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His heckler has since been identified as 40-year-old TJ Sabula.
Whilst it hasn't yet been confirmed, it's thought that Sabula's remark referenced Trump's prior relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As a reminder, though Epstein and the right-wing politician enjoyed a friendship for several years, Trump has repeatedly insisted they fell out in the early 2000s, years before the former's first arrest for sex crimes.
Trump has also consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the disgraced media mogul.
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According to new reports, autoworker Sabula has since been let go from his position pending an internal investigation by his employers, as per Fox News.
Despite this, he insists he has 'no regrets whatsoever' about his statement.
Speaking to the Washington Post, he said he was standing 60 ft from Trump and that the father of five could hear him 'very, very, very clearly'.
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"As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever," Sabula claimed.
In spite of confessing he does fear the prospect of future employment, the worker also believes he's being 'targeted for political retribution' for 'embarrassing Trump in front of his friends'.
Sabula - who claimed he'd never voted for Trump, but had previously supported other Republican leaders - 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."
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Tyla has contacted Ford for comment.