The Rev. Jesse Jackson has condemned recent outbursts by President Donald Trump targeting lawmakers of color and inner cities as "dangerous, divisive and diversionary" and says he believes they fuel white nationalist extremism.

The 77-year-old civil rights leader called Trump's vilification of African Americans an attempt to divert the nation's attention from its real problems — border detentions, Russian election interference and a host of other problems.

In an interview, Jackson said: "The real debate is that a foreign power is expected to be involved in our election next year." That was a reference to former special counsel Robert Mueller warning of a repeat of Russian interference in the 2020 elections.

Jackson spoke to The Associated Press in Poland ahead of a visit Friday to Auschwitz-Birkenau to honor Roma genocide victims.