NEWSDonald Trump Takes Petty Swipe at Barack Obama in Odd Tribute to Jesse Jackson
Donald Trump paid tribute to Jesse Jackson after his death, while claiming the late activist 'could not stand' Barack Obama.
Feb. 17 2026, Updated 12:42 p.m. ET
Donald Trump mourned the death of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson while also making a striking claim about Jackson's relationship with former President Barack Obama.
In a lengthy post shared on February 17 on Truth Social, Trump reflected on his history with Jackson following news that the longtime activist had died.
Donald Trump's Tribute
Donald Trump shared a lengthy tribute following the death of Jesse Jackson at age 84.
"The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84," Trump wrote. "I knew him well, long before becoming President. He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and 'street smarts.' He was very gregarious – Someone who truly loved people!"
Trump went on to defend his past interactions with Jackson and highlighted ways he said he had supported the civil rights leader over the years.
"Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way," he wrote, adding that he provided office space for Jackson's Rainbow Coalition in a building he owned and backed criminal justice reform efforts Jackson supported.
The president described Jackson as a 'force of nature' who 'truly loved people.'
Jesse Jackson Allegedly 'Could Not Stand' Barack Obama
Trump also claimed Jackson had a complicated relationship with Barack Obama.
He also pointed to funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and support for Opportunity Zones as initiatives he said Jackson appreciated.
Trump then made a notable claim about Jackson's feelings toward Obama while discussing the former president's rise to power.
"Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him," Trump continued. "He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand."
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Condolences
Jackson's family remembered him as a 'servant leader' devoted to justice and equality.
Trump concluded his message by offering condolences to Jackson's family.
"He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed! President DONALD J. TRUMP," he wrote.
'Servant Leader'
The civil rights icon had faced serious health challenges in recent years before his death.
Jackson's family confirmed his death on Tuesday, February 17.
A cause of death was not disclosed, though he had faced several serious health challenges in recent years, including progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson's disease.
"Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world," the family said in a statement. "We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by."
