President Donald Trump posted a message on social media Tuesday, Feb. 17, after the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
In his post, Trump said he had known Jackson “well, long before becoming president,” describing him as “a good man” with “lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts,’” and adding that Jackson “truly loved people.”
Trump also claimed he supported Jackson and his work over the years, saying he helped by providing office space for the Rainbow Coalition, a Chicago-based civil rights organization advocating for social justice in marginalized communities. He further said he responded to Jackson’s requests for assistance on criminal justice reform and funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), crediting himself with advancing both efforts.
Trump also commented on Jackson’s role in national politics, asserting that Jackson played a part in the election of former President Barack Obama and that Jackson did not like him.
Trump closed by offering condolences to Jackson’s family, writing that Jackson “loved his family greatly” and would be missed.
Jackson, a longtime civil rights leader and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, died Tuesday at 84. His family announced his death in a statement posted to Instagram, saying he died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones. They described him as a “servant leader” and asked others to honor his legacy by continuing to work for justice, equality, and love.
Jackson rose to prominence during the civil rights movement and marched alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. He was with King on the morning of King’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.
In recent years, Jackson faced significant health challenges. In 2017, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder that can affect movement, balance, and coordination. In April 2024, it was later reported that he had Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a condition with symptoms that can resemble Parkinson’s. He was also hospitalized in November 2021 after a fall at an event at Howard University, and he and his wife were hospitalized in 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19.
Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Jackson, whom he married in 1962, their five children, and grandchildren. He also had a daughter with a former staffer following an affair, with the child born in May 1999.
