Future President Donald Trump met then-President Ronald Reagan on at least three occasions at the White House during the 1980s.
In the second half of the 20th century, it’s safe to say that no president reshaped the American political landscape more than Reagan. Trump, though just into his second term, seems destined to do the same in the first half of the 21st.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation highlighted the connection between the two Republicans, sharing a picture of them meeting in 1987 at an event at the White House. Trump was a famous real estate developer at the time.
#OnThisDay in 1987, then-President Reagan met now-President Trump at the White House. 🇺🇸 @realDonaldTrump @POTUS pic.twitter.com/XWsE5JkNra
— Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute (@RonaldReagan) March 11, 2025
In response to that photo, The Daily Mail’s Charlie Spiering pointed out that Trump decided to hang a portrait of Reagan at a very prominent spot in the Oval Office for his second term.
Reagan’s portrait now hangs in a prominent place in Trump’s Oval Office pic.twitter.com/Lj9WQdJFVp
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) March 11, 2025
Trump issued a statement on Reagan’s birthday on Feb. 6, saying in part, “Today we celebrate the birthday of Ronald Reagan — a giant of American history, a lion of freedom and liberty, and the 40th President of the United States.
“In 1980, Reagan’s common sense political vision propelled him to the Oval Office, ushering in a new era of prosperity and peace at home and abroad,” he continued.
“The Reagan Revolution was underway. Throughout his eight years as Commander-in-Chief, the economy boomed, confidence soared, Communism collapsed, and faith in our Nation’s promise thrived and flourished like never before — signaling a renaissance of the American conservative movement,” Trump said.
🚨🔥 JUST IN: President Trump @POTUS honors Ronald Reagan on his birthday, calling him “a giant of American history” and “a lion of freedom and liberty.” 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/kS9yZyap40
— Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute (@RonaldReagan) February 7, 2025
The 40th president’s son Michael Reagan wrote on social media platform X last week, “It was an honor last evening to speak with the President and thank him personally for honoring my father with his words & portrait in the Oval Office.”
In addition to their 1987 meeting, Reagan and Trump also shook hands at a White House event in 1983.
Trump shared a picture of that meeting in January 2017, shortly before taking office for his first term.
An old picture with Nancy and Ronald Reagan. pic.twitter.com/8kvQ1PzPAf
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2017
Trump also met Reagan in February 1985 during a state dinner for King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.
@RonaldReagan meeting @realDonaldTrump during a state dinner for the king of Saudi Arabia in February 1985.
Photo credit: Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. pic.twitter.com/GlHWitYbEp
— Randy DeSoto (@RandyDeSoto) March 14, 2025
Looking at both men’s presidencies, there are some interesting parallels and coincidences, or perhaps examples of providence.
One came on Jan. 20 of this year, when Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term in the Capitol Rotunda rather than outside the building, due to severe cold weather.
The last time that happened was in 1985, when Reagan was sworn in for his second term.
1985: REAGAN 🇺🇸 2025: TRUMP
Two inaugurations in the Capitol Rotunda. Two American legends. pic.twitter.com/VsYEVK4G0L
— Adam Collett (@AdamCollettX) February 10, 2025
Reagan and Trump essentially ran on the same campaign slogan: Make America Great Again.
To be precise, Reagan’s 1980 slogan was, “Let’s Make America Great Again,” which Trump shortened to “Make America Great Again” or MAGA for all of his campaigns.
Let’s Make America Great Again
Ronald Reagan (1980)
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸#July4th pic.twitter.com/sQmJYHXN3e
— Dr. Malachi – (Dr. Run) (@malachiobrien) July 4, 2022
Many may not realize that Reagan had been a lifelong Democrat until in 1962, when he switched to the Republican Party. The former Hollywood actor famously said, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The party left me.”
Similarly, Trump registered as a Republican in 1987, when Reagan was president, then switched to the Democratic Party in 2001, but then back to Republican in 2009, the year Barack Obama was sworn in as president.
Reagan’s and Trump’s economic policies are similar, too.
Following the stagnation and inflation of Democrat President Jimmy Carter’s term, Reagan enacted across-the-board tax cuts and slashed government regulations to get the economy moving again. During his two terms, 20 million jobs were created and the overall economy grew one-third larger.
Trump also cut regulations massively and signed into law the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which caused unemployment to drop to its lowest rate in 50 years (3.5 percent). The unemployment rates for Hispanics and African Americans were the lowest ever recorded.
In foreign affairs, Trump adopted Reagan’s “Peace through strength” approach, which brought about the end of the Cold War.
While Trump was commander in chief, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was relatively quiet. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not take more of Ukraine, a country he first invaded during the Obama-Biden administration.
Iran was on its knees economically, thanks to crushing sanctions enforced by Trump, so it was not able to fund Hamas.
And Israel had entered into multiple peace treaties with Arab nations in the region with the Abraham Accords.
Finally, Reagan protected the U.S. automobile and steel industries, among others, with quotas and tariffs to incentivize domestic production.
Trump is in the midst of doing the same thing.
So the meeting between the 40th president and the 45th, now 47th president, was prophetic. Trump has adopted and built upon Reagan’s legacy to the betterment of America.
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