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Reverend Al Sharpton has taken aim at US President Donald Trump during Aretha Franklin’s funeral on Friday.

He told mourners at her funeral at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan: “Trump said she used to work for me. No, she performed for you.

“She worked for us. Aretha took orders from no one, but God.”

Reverend Sharpton’s comments came after President Trump was criticised for his statement on the passing of the Queen of Soul, who died aged 76 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Mr Trump released a statement on August 16 which read: “I want to begin today by expressing my condolences to the family of a person I knew well. She worked for me on numerous occasions. She was terrific – Aretha Franklin – on her passing.”

His comments about the singer working for him were strongly criticised on social media.

It’s thought that he was referring to the singer playing a private concert at the opening of Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York in 1997.

Reverend Sharpton also recalled Ms Franklin’s activist side, noting that she raised money for Martin Luther King.

He said: “She gave us pride. She gave us a regal bar to reach. She represented the best in our community.”

Aretha Franklin Funeral - In pictures 25 show all Aretha Franklin Funeral - In pictures 1/25 Ariana Grande performs during Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 2/25 The singer sang You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman AFP/Getty Images 3/25 Singer Ariana Grande at Greater Grace Temple for Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 4/25 She impressed the crowd with an emotional performance AFP/Getty Images 5/25 Rev Al Sharpton turned Aretha Franklin's funeral service political with some sharp words for President Donald Trump Headline News / BACKGRID 6/25 The Clark Sisters perform at the funeral service REUTERS 7/25 The Clark sisters, Dorinda Clark Cole, left, and Karen Clark Sheard perform during the funeral service AP 8/25 Former US President Bill Clinton takes a picture with singer Ariana Grande and her fiancee Pete Davidson at Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 9/25 Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and former US President Bill Clinton attend Aretha Franklin's funeral at Greater Grace Temple AFP/Getty Images 10/25 The casket of Aretha Franklin arrives for her funeral service Getty Images 11/25 The casket containing the remains of soul music icon Aretha Franklin is carried into Greater Grace Temple for the singer's funeral Getty Images 12/25 Flowers from the family of singer Otis Redding are delivered to the church before Aretha Franklin funeral at the Greater Grace Temple in advance of her funeral AFP/Getty Images 13/25 Omarosa Manigault-Newman arrives for the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan REUTERS 14/25 Former President Bill Clinton poses for a photo with Ariana Grande, center, and Pete Davidson, right, during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple AP 15/25 Detroit residents wait in line to enter the Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP 16/25 Getty Images 17/25 The casket of Aretha Franklin arrives at the Greater Grace Temple in advance of her funeral AFP/Getty Images 18/25 American singer Shirley Caesa AP 19/25 Former US President Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attend Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 20/25 Former boxer Tommy Hearns (right) arrives with friends for the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan Reuters 21/25 Guests arrive for the funeral of US singer Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan EPA 22/25 Religious leader Louis Farrakhan arrives at Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP 23/25 EPA 24/25 A woman holds up a magazine honoring Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP 25/25 American singer-songwriter Johnny Gill arrives at Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP 1/25 Ariana Grande performs during Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 2/25 The singer sang You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman AFP/Getty Images 3/25 Singer Ariana Grande at Greater Grace Temple for Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 4/25 She impressed the crowd with an emotional performance AFP/Getty Images 5/25 Rev Al Sharpton turned Aretha Franklin's funeral service political with some sharp words for President Donald Trump Headline News / BACKGRID 6/25 The Clark Sisters perform at the funeral service REUTERS 7/25 The Clark sisters, Dorinda Clark Cole, left, and Karen Clark Sheard perform during the funeral service AP 8/25 Former US President Bill Clinton takes a picture with singer Ariana Grande and her fiancee Pete Davidson at Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 9/25 Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and former US President Bill Clinton attend Aretha Franklin's funeral at Greater Grace Temple AFP/Getty Images 10/25 The casket of Aretha Franklin arrives for her funeral service Getty Images 11/25 The casket containing the remains of soul music icon Aretha Franklin is carried into Greater Grace Temple for the singer's funeral Getty Images 12/25 Flowers from the family of singer Otis Redding are delivered to the church before Aretha Franklin funeral at the Greater Grace Temple in advance of her funeral AFP/Getty Images 13/25 Omarosa Manigault-Newman arrives for the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan REUTERS 14/25 Former President Bill Clinton poses for a photo with Ariana Grande, center, and Pete Davidson, right, during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple AP 15/25 Detroit residents wait in line to enter the Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP 16/25 Getty Images 17/25 The casket of Aretha Franklin arrives at the Greater Grace Temple in advance of her funeral AFP/Getty Images 18/25 American singer Shirley Caesa AP 19/25 Former US President Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attend Aretha Franklin's funeral AFP/Getty Images 20/25 Former boxer Tommy Hearns (right) arrives with friends for the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan Reuters 21/25 Guests arrive for the funeral of US singer Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan EPA 22/25 Religious leader Louis Farrakhan arrives at Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP 23/25 EPA 24/25 A woman holds up a magazine honoring Aretha Franklin at the Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP 25/25 American singer-songwriter Johnny Gill arrives at Greater Grace Temple for legendary singer Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit AP

Reverend Sharpton also read out a statement from former president Barack Obama which paid tribute to “one of a kind.”

The statement read: “Aretha embodied those most revered virtues of forgiveness and reconciliation, while the music she made captured some of our deepest human desires: namely affection and respect.

“And through her own voice, Aretha lifted those of millions, empowering and inspiring the vulnerable, the downtrodden, and everyone who may have just needed a little love.”

Aretha Franklin’s funeral was a star studded event, with guest including Bill Clinton, Jesse Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson.

Ariana Grande performed a rendition of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.