Donald Trump Loves Ronald Reagan, Even Though Reagan Never Liked Him Back

In recent years, it has become de rigeuer among ambitious Republican politicians to heap effusive praise on the late President Ronald Reagan, lauding him as the paradigm of conservative leadership to which they aspire, and then—subtly or not so subtly—casting themselves as his heir apparent. Even Donald Trump, whose political achievements have already surpassed many of the sad try-hards who have laid claim to the mantle of Republican Party leadership in this manner, is not above this name-dropping ritual. Seemingly apropos of nothing this afternoon, the president-elect shared "an old picture" with his close pals, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, as if he had happened upon it while perusing old photo albums. Just two kindred spirits sharing a moment, you see.

The then-president's astonishingly cream suit and the president-elect's startlingly non-orange hair and skin are jarring, but the funniest and most telling component of this photo might be the First Lady staring deep into Trump's soul like she's trying to turn him into stone. Indeed, it turns out that as much as Trump might like to suggest that his presidency will carry on the Gipper's legacy, the Reagans...actually kind of hated him! The Washington Post tracked down some delightful anecdotes about how the Reagan White House delicately, eye-rollingly managed its occasional obligatory interactions with our Tweeter-in-Chief.

In 1984, Trump requested that Reagan attend a gala to honor Vietnam veterans in New York City and said he would schedule it for any day that worked on the president’s calendar. The White House said no.

In 1988, the New York Board of Trade gave Trump an “outstanding executive” award. The head of the group sent the White House a letter asking if [Reagan] could come. “Advanced word is that Mr. Trump will have some stimulatingly interesting comments to make during his talk at the dinner,” he wrote. The scheduling office never seriously entertained the idea.

The saddest detail, though, is that when the president signed that photo of himself shaking Trump's hand, he goofed up his own dang signature.

The president, not paying close attention, signed it “Reagan Reagan.” Five years later, Trump included the image in his book “The Art of the Deal.” An aide in the social secretary’s office noticed the mistake. She sent an apologetic note and a corrected picture — signed with an autopen.

It's true! Look at that picture again—the same one that Trump touted today as evidence that they were best buds. It's perfectly understandable that President Reagan didn't much care about a thirsty, middling real estate developer who wouldn't stop calling his office and asking if they could hang out. But to think so little of someone that you don't even bother writing your own name correctly? That's brutal. Next time the president-elect wants to fabricate a history with a man with whom he had no relationship, perhaps he should crop his photos more carefully.

[h/t Roberto Ferdman]