Sometimes heckling the President of the United States comes with consequences. Sometimes it also comes with nearly $800,000 in crowdfunded support.

What Happened in Dearborn

When President Donald Trump visited Ford Motor Co. (F)'s facility in Dearborn, Michigan, things got heated. TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old worker at the plant and member of the United Auto Workers union, heckled the president over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. According to The Washington Post, Sabula called Trump a "pedophile protector," which prompted Trump to respond with an obscene middle finger gesture and what appeared to be an expletive.

Ford suspended Sabula pending an investigation into the incident. Neither Ford nor the UAW immediately responded to requests for comment.

But here's where things took an interesting turn. Sabula told reporters he had "no regrets whatsoever" about his comments. And apparently, a lot of people agreed with his stance. Two separate GoFundMe campaigns sprang up to support him, collectively raising close to $800,000 before both paused accepting donations. "We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support! At this time we are closing donations to this campaign," the pages announced.

Trump's Auto Industry Message

The heckling incident happened during Trump's broader visit to the Detroit Economic Forum, where he celebrated rolling back what he called the previous administration's "war" on internal combustion engine vehicles. Trump touted his relaxation of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and various EV-related regulations that the Biden administration had implemented.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy praised the regulatory changes, as did Ford CEO Jim Farley, who said the new approach would help the automaker focus more resources on domestic investments. Which makes the timing of the suspension particularly awkward for everyone involved.