White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt defends Trump over claims of racism
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White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt on Wednesday challenged a reporter who asked for examples of when the president was “falsely called a racist.”
“Yesterday, in his statement about Jesse Jackson, the president said ‘despite me lying and always being called a racist by scoundrels and lunatics and radical left Democrats, it’s always been my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.’ Where or when did the president believe he was falsely called a racist?” asked the reporter.
Leavitt answered the reporter in disbelief and asked if he was “joking,” to which the reporter said no.
“I will pull you [a] many examples. I’m going to get my team into that room to start, go through the Internet of hard-line Democrats over the years and falsely accuse this president of being racist. And I’m sure there are many people in this room and on network television across the country who are caught up in the same guilt. I actually know that because I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” said Leavitt.
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White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Feb. 18, 2026, Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The press secretary noted that the president was scheduled to hold an event on Wednesday to celebrate Black History Month. In addition, he listed many policy achievements aimed at benefiting the Black community and the American people as a whole, such as the administration’s commitment to funding Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the establishment of Trump accounts.
“So, this president has done a lot for all Americans, regardless of race, and he’s been falsely called and smeared as a racist. And I’m happy to give you those receipts, and we will happily do so after this forum,” Leavitt added.
Donald Trump and Jesse Jackson attend the Tyson-Spinks Boxing Match on June 27, 1988, at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Collection of Ron Galella/Ron Galella via Getty Images)
TRUMP REMEMBERS JESSE JACKSON AS A ‘NICE MAN,’ A ‘NATURAL HIRE’
The reporter was talking about President Donald Trump’s writing about the death of Pastor Jesse Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84. The president, who posted several pictures of himself with Jackson, remembered the late pastor as “a good person with a lot of personality, very smart and ‘street smarts'” before addressing the false labeling as a racist.
Trump noted that he supported and “gave office space” to Jackson and the pastor’s civil rights organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Additionally, Trump said he responded to Jackson’s request “to help pass and sign criminal justice reform, where no other president would try.” The president also praised his work to secure long-term funding for HBCUs.
“Jesse was a force of nature like few before him,” Trump said before appearing to criticize the pastor for his support of former President Barack Obama.
Donald Trump and Reverend Jesse Jackson and musicians from the hotel lounge at the Tyson vs Holmes pre-fight event at the Trump Plaza Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ, Jan. 22, 1988. (Jeffrey Asher/Getty Images)
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“He loved his family very much, and to them I send my deepest sympathy and condolences. Jesse will be missed!” Trump added.
The President has faced accusations of racism from prominent Democrats, including his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. Trump has long pushed back on this idea, highlighting his relationships with prominent Black people during his celebrity days and his policy moves throughout his time as president.
