President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered his "deepest sympathies and condolences" to Jesse Jackson's family after news that the civil rights leader had died.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said he had known the Rev. Jesse Jackson "well" long before entering politics and praised him as "a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and 'street smarts.'"
"The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84. I knew him well, long before becoming President," Trump wrote. "He was very gregarious — Someone who truly loved people!"
Trump also used the moment to push back on years of criticism from Democrats and the media, saying he has been "falsely and consistently called a Racist" by what he described as "Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left."
Trump highlighted several instances in which he said he helped Jackson and causes Jackson supported, including providing office space for Jackson's Rainbow Coalition "for years" in the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street.
The president also credited himself with supporting criminal justice reform and long-term funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), arguing that those initiatives were ignored by previous presidents.
"Single handedly pushed and passed long term funding for Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), which Jesse loved, but also, which other Presidents would not do," Trump wrote.
Trump said Jackson also supported Opportunity Zones, which he called "the single most successful economic development package yet approved for Black business men/women."
Trump described Jackson as "a force of nature like few others before him" and added that he was devoted to his family.
"He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences," Trump said. "Jesse will be missed!"
Jackson, a longtime civil rights activist and two-time Democrat presidential candidate, died Tuesday at age 84. His daughter, Santita Jackson, confirmed he died at home surrounded by family.
A protégé of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson became one of the nation's most prominent civil rights leaders after King's assassination, building national influence through Operation PUSH and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Jackson spent decades advocating for voting rights, job opportunities, education, and healthcare, while also pressing major corporations to diversify hiring and spending.
In his final years, Jackson battled serious health issues, including a rare neurological disorder that affected his ability to move and speak.
Still, he remained active in public life, continuing to appear at protests and political events.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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