Leavitt Promises Examples After Reporter Questions Trump's 'Racist' Claim
Leavitt pushed back at a reporter on Wednesday about President Trump's claim he was 'falsely and consistently called a racist' after Jesse Jackson's death.
Overview
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back at a reporter on Wednesday when asked for examples of when President Donald Trump had been 'falsely called racist.'
The exchange followed President Donald Trump's post about the death of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who died on Tuesday at age 84, in which Trump said he had been 'falsely and consistently called a racist.'
Leavitt said she would 'pull... a plethora of examples' and have her team compile accusations, and the White House Rapid Response X account posted a Don Lemon clip about the president fifteen minutes later.
Leavitt cited administration actions such as funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the establishment of Trump Accounts as evidence the president has helped Black Americans.
Leavitt said the White House would provide those 'receipts' right after the briefing and noted the president was scheduled to hold an event marking Black History Month that afternoon.
Analysis
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Sources (3)
FAQ
Trump made the claim in a Truth Social post lamenting the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
Leavitt pushed back, promising to provide a 'plethora of examples' of false accusations and citing Trump administration actions like funding for HBCUs and Trump Accounts; the White House Rapid Response X account posted a Don Lemon clip shortly after.
Trump hosted a sold-out White History Month reception at the White House, where he praised Jesse Jackson as a 'real hero,' announced Ben Carson would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and highlighted policies benefiting Black Americans.
Weeks earlier, Trump posted and then deleted a racist social media video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as primates, sparking bipartisan backlash, though he did not reference it at the Black History Month event.
History
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