Trump issues scathing attack on Obama in tribute statement to civil rights activist Jesse Jackson

President Trump has used his tribute to Jesse Jackson as a way at making a swipe at his predecessor Barack Obama, whom he took over office from in 2017.

It was revealed today (February 17) that Jackson – who was a protege of Martin Luther King Jr and a two-time US presidential candidate who led the civil rights movement for decades after Dr King’s assassination – has died aged 84.

He passed away at home and surrounded by family, his daughter, Santita Jackson, said.

In the wake of his passing, Trump has taken to Truth Social to pay his respects to famous activist.

"The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84," he wrote. "I knew him well, long before becoming President. He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and 'street smarts'."

The POTUS continued: "He was very gregarious - Someone who truly loved people! 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 then proceeded to make a dig at Obama, writing: "Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him. He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand."

The president concluded his post by describing Jackson as someone who 'loved his family greatly' and sent his condolences to them.

UNILAD has approached Obama for comment.

Jesse Jackson has passed away at the age of 84 (Mickey Adair/Getty Images)

Jackson faced health challenges in the lead up to his death, including a rare brain disorder that affected his ability to move and speak, but he continued protesting against racial injustice into the era of Black Lives Matter.

In 2024, he appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and at a city council meeting to show support for a resolution backing a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

He told marchers in Minneapolis before the officer whose knee kept George Floyd from breathing was convicted of murder: "Even if we win, it’s relief, not victory. They’re still killing our people. Stop the violence, save the children. Keep hope alive."

In his final months, as he received 24-hour care, he sadly lost his ability to speak, communicating with family and visitors by holding their hands and squeezing.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].