By Trendsetter Tribune 
In a characteristically defiant and polarizing social media post, President Donald Trump paid tribute to the late civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, by simultaneously defending his own record on race and launching a scathing attack on former President Barack Obama.
The post, shared on Truth Social shortly after news of Jackson’s death at age 84 broke, has ignited a fresh firestorm of political debate, overshadowing the somber nature of the national mourning.
The Tribute: “A Good Man with Street Smarts”
Trump began his message by praising Jackson’s personality and long history in American public life. He emphasized their decades-long personal relationship, which dates back to Jackson’s residency in Trump-owned buildings in New York.
- Personal Praise: Trump described Jackson as a “good man” with “personality, grit, and ‘street smarts,'” calling him a “force of nature.”
- Claiming Credit: The President listed the ways he claims to have supported Jackson’s mission, including providing office space for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition at 40 Wall Street and collaborating on the First Step Act (Criminal Justice Reform) during his first term.
- Denying Racism: Trump used the tribute to push back against his critics, writing: “Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left… it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.”
The Attack: “Jesse Could Not Stand Obama”
The most controversial portion of the post involved an unprovoked jab at Barack Obama. Trump claimed that Jackson felt slighted by the nation’s first Black president and suggested there was deep-seated animosity between the two men.
“He [Jackson] had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand.” — Donald Trump, Truth Social (Feb 17, 2026)
Context for the Claim:
- 2008 Incident: Trump’s comment likely refers to a 2008 “hot mic” incident where Jackson used crude language to criticize Obama’s “tone” toward the Black community. Jackson apologized at the time and later wept openly during Obama’s victory celebration in Grant Park.
- The Obama Response: Representatives for the former President have not officially commented on Trump’s post, though allies of the Jackson family were quick to point out that Jackson spent his final years praising Obama’s legacy as the fulfillment of a “half-century of struggle.”
Reaction from Civil Rights Leaders
The response from Jackson’s peers and family was swift, with many urging the public to ignore the political noise and focus on Jackson’s 60-year legacy of service.
- Rev. Al Sharpton: While not mentioning Trump by name, Sharpton told reporters in Harlem that Jackson was a “bridge-builder” and that today should be about “the bridge, not the trolls under it.”
- Bernice King: Re-shared a photo of her father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with Jackson, calling him a “giant” who helped “bend the arc toward justice.”
- The Jackson Family: In an official statement, the family requested privacy and announced that funeral arrangements in Chicago would be finalized in the coming days.
A Pattern of “Hostile Tributes”
Political analysts note that this is the second time in two weeks that Trump has used a public statement about a Black figure to attack the Obamas. On February 6, the White House was forced to delete a Truth Social post that featured a video with racist imagery directed at Barack and Michelle Obama, which was initially blamed on a staffer.
The ongoing friction suggests that as the 2026 midterm season approaches, the President intends to keep his “Maximum Pressure” campaign against his predecessors at the forefront of the national conversation.