Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at 84. Jackson had been hospitalized since November of last year after being diagnosed with supranuclear palsy. After news broke of Jackson’s death, President Trump released a statement calling Jackson a “good man.” The 47th President added that Jackson was a “force of nature” before noting that Jackson could not stand Obama. Fox News provided further details on Trump’s statement on Truth Social: President Donald Trump issued a Truth Social post on Tuesday, reflecting on Rev. Jesse Jackson in the wake of the 84-year-old civil rights leader’s death. Trump described Jackson as “a good man.” “The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84. 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!” the president said in the post. “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. He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!” Trump declared. Read Trump’s full post here: pic.twitter.com/VxOpIcb8gy — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 17, 2026 Here’s Jackson and Trump back in the day when they had a friendship: Jesse Jackson and Trump, back before it became politically useful to call Trump a racist.pic.twitter.com/jNzeLXjsdK — MAZE (@mazemoore) February 17, 2026 Jesse Jackson has passed away at age 84. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/1bFXOX6ik5 — Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) February 17, 2026 Here’s another video of Jackson praising Trump: THIS IS A MUST WATCH! Jesse Jackson praising President @realDonaldTrump many years ago for helping the black community & minority businesses. HOW IS ALL OF SUDDEN A RACIST? He said Trump has a “will to risk to make things better” TRUMP IS THE SAME MAN! pic.twitter.com/oERhsihO9E — Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) June 8, 2020 However, after Trump ran for office, Jackson and Trump’s relationship ended. NBC News provided more information on Jackson’s illness that led to his death: He was admitted to a hospital in November and had been living for more than a decade with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), according to his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. PSP affects patients’ ability to walk and swallow and can lead to dangerous complications. Jackson revealed he had Parkinson’s in 2017. He was treated as an outpatient at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago for at least two years before he shared the diagnosis with the public. Public observances will be held in Chicago and future plans for celebration of life events will be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Jackson family said in its statement Tuesday. Jackson was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and rose to prominence in the civil rights era, participating in demonstrations alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. His activism spanned decades, including two runs for the Democratic presidential nomination, in 1984 and 1988.