Trump Uses Civil Rights Leader's Passing to Take Swipe at Obama
Former President Donald Trump has used the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson to highlight his personal accomplishments while taking a pointed swipe at former President Barack Obama, asserting the civil rights leader had little tolerance for his Democratic successor.
Controversial Claims About Obama Relationship
In a Tuesday morning Truth Social post, Trump remembered Jackson as "a force of nature" who set the stage for Obama to win the 2008 election. Jackson's two unsuccessful presidential campaigns in the 1980s are widely credited with helping mobilize Black voters and establishing a dominant Black voice within the Democratic Party.
However, Trump insisted Jackson, who publicly supported Obama, did not actually like the former president. "He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand," Trump claimed in his social media statement.
Jackson never publicly stated he "could not stand" Obama. Historical records show that in 2008, Jackson was caught on a hot microphone criticising Obama for how he addressed the Black community during his campaign. Jackson later apologised for making those comments, and Obama accepted his apology.
Complex Historical Relationship
Despite Trump's characterisation of their relationship, Jackson was physically present with Obama when he won the 2008 presidential election. In a now-famous moment captured by photographers, Jackson could be seen with tears in his eyes as Obama made his acceptance speech in Grant Park, Chicago.
Jackson later told Vanity Fair in 2020 that during that emotional moment, he was thinking "about the movement" and how "the people who made that night possible – they were not there."
The civil rights leader, a protegee of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., dedicated his life to expanding civil rights and promoting global peace through his Rainbow/PUSH coalition. His political career significantly shaped the future of the Democratic Party and American politics more broadly before his death at age 84.
Trump's Personal Reminiscences
"I knew him well, long before becoming President," Trump said in his tribute. "He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and 'street smarts.' He was very gregarious - Someone who truly loved people!"
In remembering Jackson, Trump highlighted how he helped the civil rights leader succeed, recalling that he gave Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition office space in his building at 40 Wall Street during the 1990s.
"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," Trump wrote in his social media post.
Policy Achievements Highlighted
Trump listed several policies enacted during his first and current administrations that he claimed Jackson supported and that "no other president" had attempted to pass. These included criminal justice reform legislation, long-term funding for historically Black colleges and universities, and economic development initiatives for Black communities known as "Opportunity Zones."
The former president concluded his tribute with personal condolences, stating: "He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!"
The political commentary comes as the nation mourns the passing of one of America's most prominent civil rights leaders, whose legacy continues to influence political discourse across party lines.
