Van Jones finds herself in Trump’s crosshairs over the complex legacy of the criminal justice reform credit and the First Step Act of 2026.
Van Jones, the former CEO of Jay-Z and Meek Mill’s Reform Alliance, has pushed criminal justice reform into the media spotlight for years, and now he’s getting attention from an unexpected direction.
The rap stars helped form the Reform Coalition to overhaul the probation and parole system, with a focus on removing 1 million people from the criminal justice system within five years.
Jones, the former CEO of the Alliance for Reform, found himself in Trump’s crosshairs today when the former president released a lengthy Truth Society message about their work together on the First Step Act, then pivoted to criticize Jones’ treatment of him since leaving office.
Trump’s post detailed the moment Jones allegedly “shocked” asked him for help passing reform legislation that had been stalled in Congress for years, claiming he had personally secured the conservative votes needed to make it happen.
“When CNN’s Van Jones (who cried like a baby!) and a group of African American leaders came to me, he was ‘dead’ and couldn’t get criminal justice reform passed in Congress. Van Jones and these black representatives had been fighting for ‘reform’ for years without success. He was just wasting everyone’s time – it took 5 conservative senators – with no chance or even hope of winning.
“Now I see this guy Van Jones calling me a ‘dictator’ every chance he gets, or worse. He should be ashamed of himself!!!” Trump continued.
What Trump has trumpeted and boasted about is the First Step Act implemented in 2018. But the actual foundation for reform was laid over many years by organizations such as the Reform Alliance.
A broader ecosystem of reform advocates has been working on the issue both before and after his presidency.
The First Step Act was an achievement, but advocates like Jones, Jay-Z, Meek Mill and others were responsible for passing a law that disproportionately impacted the Black community.
The organization has helped pass 22 laws in 12 states and raised $20 million to continue its work. Their approach targets the systemic issues that keep people trapped in cycles of incarceration and supervision, addressing what many believe to be the true mechanisms of mass incarceration.
Van Jones has been a consistent voice in the field for decades, advocating for reform across government and political lines.
His criticism of Trump on other issues does not negate his work on criminal justice, and his current media presence continues to put pressure on policymakers to continue expanding reform efforts.
The Alliance for Reform recently announced plans to expand probation reform measures to five additional states by the end of 2026.
