Factchecks
Donald Trump Is No Ronald Reagan And Once Spent $100,000 on an Ad Attacking Him
Donald Trump likes to praise Ronald Reagan, but that wasn’t always the case. In fact, Trump once spent nearly $100,000 on an attack ad that said Reagan’s foreign policy lacked “a little backbone.”
Trump skewered U.S. foreign policy in the 1987 open letter, published in various newspapers across the country, in which Trump claimed that “The world is laughing at America’s politicians” and “America should stop paying to defend countries that can afford to defend themselves.”
One thing’s for certain: Donald Trump is no Ronald Reagan. President Reagan affirmed his commitment to, and belief in, our alliances - NATO in particular…
REAGAN: “Our adversaries would be foolishly mistaken should they gamble that Americans would abandon their Alliance responsibilities, no matter how severe the test. […] The soil of Germany and of every other Ally is of vital concern to each member of the Alliance.” … while Trump, nearly 30 years later, continues to threaten to abandon America’s allies, including NATO.
MATTHEWS: We don’t need NATO?
TRUMP: Do you think – no, we don’t really need NATO in its current form. NATO is obsolete, and we’re spending disproportionately… President Reagan strenuously warned of “some fool or some maniac” triggering a nuclear war…
REAGAN: “I do want arms control. I can’t believe that this world can go on beyond our generation and on down to succeeding generations with this kind of weapon on both sides poised at each other without someday some fool or some maniac or some accident triggering the kind of war that is the end of the line for all of us.” …while Trump wonders why we don’t use nuclear weapons.
TRUMP: “Look, nuclear should be off the table. But would there be a time when it could be used, possibly, possibly?”
MATTHEWS: “OK. The trouble is, when you said that, the whole world heard it […] They’re hearing a guy running for president of the United States talking of maybe using nuclear weapons.” It’s clear that the two couldn’t be more different when it comes to foreign policy…
Fmr. US Ambassador to Russia, Mike McFaul: “Reagan believed passionately in promoting liberty around the world. Trump does not… Trump has made clear that he sees no value in promoting democracy or human rights, the exact opposite of Reagan. Reagan believed in American exceptionalism. Trump does not.” And Reagan’s optimistic vision of America’s future has been betrayed by Trump’s incessantly negative campaign.
LA Times: “Trump Tries To Echo Reagan, But Leaves Out An Essential Element: Optimism”
USA Today Editorial: “Perhaps most distressing is Trump’s rejection of Reagan’s ‘Morning in America’ tone and outlook. Despite the nominee’s doomsaying, America has never stopped being a great nation.” Even Reagan’s children agree - Donald Trump is no Ronald Reagan. Reagan’s eldest son Michael called Trump an embarrassment, the president’s other son, Ron, said a Trump presidency would be equal to “a national emergency” and his daughter, Patti Davis, has also denounced Trump.