Donald Trump Says Michael Jackson 'Lost Confidence' From 'Bad, Bad Surgery' in Later Years

— -- Donald Trump has found no shortage of targets for criticism. President Obama, Hillary Clinton, all of his fellow Republicans candidates and even Pope Francis have all been objects of his verbal wrath.

And now the business mogul has set his sights on the late pop star Michael Jackson, whom he called a “very good friend” but one who “lost tremendous confidence” due to “bad, bad, bad surgery.”

He made the remarks at Thursday night’s CNN Republican town hall in South Carolina when the GOP presidential frontrunner was asked a lighter question about what kind of music he likes.

Trump named Elton John, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles (music that can be heard playing ahead of his campaign rallies), and then listed the King of Pop.

“I knew Michael Jackson very well,” Trump said. “He lived in Trump Tower for a long period of time.”

Jackson, who died in 2009, rented an apartment in Trump Tower, even honeymooning at the Manhattan property after his wedding to Elvis’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley, according to news reports from the time.

“He was an unbelievably talented guy,” Trump told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “He lost tremendous confidence because of honestly bad, bad, bad surgery.”

He added, “Believe it or not when you lose your confidence in something, you can even lose your talent.”

Jermaine Jackson, the bass player for the Jackson 5, responded on Friday to Trump’s remarks about his brother, calling the GOP candidate out for "name-dropping."