Trump uses Jesse Jackson’s death to argue he’s not 'a racist'

President Donald Trump acknowledged the death of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson on Tuesday, calling him a “good man” and a “force of nature,” while using the moment to spotlight his own past support for Jackson as evidence against accusations of racism.

“The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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!”

After praising Jackson, the president then went on to detail his past support for the civil rights leader.

“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 said.

Trump accurately said that he “provided office space for him and his Rainbow Coalition, for years, in the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street.”

He claimed that he responded “to his request for help in getting CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM passed and signed, when no other President would even try.” President Barack Obama signed in to law the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010.

Trump praised himself for what he claimed was his single-handedly pushing and passing long-term funding for Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). The Obama administration previously ensured funding for HBCUs as well.

The president also insisted that Jackson “could not stand” President Barack Obama, despite the civil rights leader endorsing Obama’s 2008 presidential bid.

Commentators criticized Trump’s remarks.

The Bulwark’s Sam Stein called his remarks “a statement on the death of Jesse Jackson … that is really a statement about Donald Trump, by Donald Trump.”

The Independent’s Eric Michael Garcia wrote, “Trump, unsurprisingly, makes Jesse Jackson’s death about him.”

Mike Sington, a retired NBCUniversal senior executive, wrote: “Trump bizarrely exploits Jesse Jackson’s death to take a swipe at President Obama.”