Jesse Jackson's Son Blasts Obama, Harris, and Biden for Anti-Trump Funeral Speeches

Jesse Jackson Jr. criticized the former presidents for using his father's memorial service to attack Donald Trump.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Jesse Jackson Jr., the son of the late civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, slammed former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris for using his father's funeral as a platform to attack former President Donald Trump. Jackson Jr. said the political figures "do not know Jesse Jackson" and accused them of selling out the Black community through divisive partisan politics.

Why it matters

The funeral for a prominent civil rights figure like Rev. Jesse Jackson was seen as an inappropriate venue for political attacks, especially against a former president. Jackson Jr.'s criticism highlights the growing divide between the Democratic establishment and some Black leaders who feel the party has abandoned its core values.

The details

During the funeral service, Obama, Biden, and Harris all made veiled criticisms of Trump, with Obama accusing the Trump administration of assaulting democratic institutions and Biden claiming the administration did not share the values of the attendees. In contrast, former President Bill Clinton did not use the occasion to attack Trump. Jackson Jr. said his father "demanded not Democratic or Republican solutions, but demanded a consistent, prophetic voice that at no point in time ever sold us out as people."

  • Rev. Jesse Jackson died on February 17, 2026 at the age of 84.
  • His funeral was held on Friday, March 8, 2026.

The players

Jesse Jackson Jr.

The son of the late civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States.

Joe Biden

The 46th President of the United States.

Kamala Harris

The 49th Vice President of the United States.

Bill Clinton

The 42nd President of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“Yesterday, I listened for several hours to three United States presidents who do not know Jesse Jackson.”

— Jesse Jackson Jr., Son of Rev. Jesse Jackson

“[My father] maintained a tense relationship with the political order — not because the presidents were white or black – but the demands of our message, the demands of speaking for the least of these – those who are disinherited, the damned, the dispossessed, the disrespected.”

— Jesse Jackson Jr., Son of Rev. Jesse Jackson

“[He] demanded not Democratic or Republican solutions, but demanded a consistent, prophetic voice that at no point in time ever sold us out as people.”

— Jesse Jackson Jr., Son of Rev. Jesse Jackson

The takeaway

The funeral for a prominent civil rights leader like Rev. Jesse Jackson should have been a unifying moment to honor his legacy, but instead became a platform for political attacks, highlighting the growing divide between the Democratic establishment and some Black leaders who feel the party has abandoned its core values of serving the disenfranchised.