President Donald Trump issued a lengthy statement following the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson at age 84, describing the civil rights leader as a “force of nature” while also inserting pointed remarks about former President Barack Obama.
In his message, Trump said he had known Jackson for many years and called him a “good man” with “personality, grit, and street smarts.” He highlighted their past interactions, noting that he provided office space for Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition at 40 Wall Street and worked with him on issues such as criminal justice reform, funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Opportunity Zones.
At the same time, Trump criticized Democrats who have labeled him racist and claimed that Jackson played an unrecognized role in Barack Obama’s political rise adding that Jackson “could not stand” Obama. The statement blended praise for Jackson’s legacy with familiar political grievances.
Trump and Jackson’s relationship stretched back decades. In 1999, when Trump briefly explored a presidential run under the Reform Party banner, Jackson spoke positively about his outreach to minority communities. Over time, however, Jackson became a vocal critic, arguing that Trump’s rhetoric fueled division and fear.
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson was a protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a central figure in the Civil Rights Movement after King’s assassination. A two-time Democratic presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988, Jackson won 13 primaries and caucuses during his 1988 campaign and is widely credited with helping lay groundwork that expanded opportunities for future candidates, including Barack Obama.
Throughout his life, Jackson advocated for voting rights, economic opportunity, education, and health care. Through the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he pushed corporations and political leaders to address racial inequities and expand access for marginalized communities. He also engaged in diplomatic efforts abroad, working with global leaders on humanitarian issues.
In his final months, Jackson required round-the-clock care and lost his ability to speak, communicating with loved ones by holding and squeezing their hands. He is remembered as one of the most prominent and enduring voices of the modern civil rights era.
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