Famed civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, who died at age 84 on Feb. 17, had a long and complicated history with Donald Trump that spanned decades, from collaboration and public praise to pointed political criticism. Jackson, founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, once described Trump as a “friend” before the New York businessman entered politics.
In the late 1990s, Trump donated office space in Manhattan to Jackson’s organization as it prepared to pressure Wall Street firms to advance Black and minority employees.
At a 1999 press conference, Jackson introduced Trump warmly, calling him inclusive and supportive. Trump, in turn, praised Jackson as a “terrific guy” and joked about Jackson’s negotiating skills when securing the office space.
Their relationship shifted dramatically during the 2016 presidential election. Jackson endorsed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and spoke critically about Trump’s campaign rhetoric.
In an interview with Bloomberg Television at the Democratic National Convention that year, Jackson described Trump as “affable and social” in earlier years but said things changed when Trump promoted the birther movement. He criticized Trump’s positions on foreign policy, immigration, and repealing Obamacare, warning: “These ideas are not just conservative, they are somewhat way off the main line. They could destabilize the country.”
Jackson declined to label Trump a racist, saying he did not want to turn the campaign into one about “branding.” In 2020, he endorsed Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary.
Following Jackson’s death, Trump posted on Truth Social recalling their earlier relationship. He described Jackson as “a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts,’” and offered condolences to his family, saying, “Jesse will be missed.”
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