So here we are again at the Reagan Library, Simi Valley, California. It is a fabulous, fabulous place.
Meanwhile, my first job in politics was the deputy budget director for the Gipper. And to be honest, what I learned during that time in his first term, I’m not sure my political and economic views have really changed much over the past 46 years.
President Reagan believed in peace through strength. Trump believes in peace through strength. Reagan believed in low taxes to promote growth. Trump believes in low taxes to promote growth.
They were both staunch advocates of a very light government regulatory touch on the economy, and both men were against unfair trading practices that damaged working Americans.
Here’s Reagan on peace through strength, in October 1980: “Peace is made by the fact of strength, economic, military and strategic. We must build peace upon strength. There is no other way.”
Wait a minute. There’s even more. Here’s Reagan on trust but verify, in 1987, in remarks with Mikhail Gorbachev:
“We have listened to the wisdom in an old Russian maxim. And I’m sure you’re familiar with it, Mr. General Secretary, though my pronunciation may give you difficulty. The maxim is: Dovorey no provorey — trust, but verify.”
Gorbachev replied: “You repeat that at every meeting,” which met with laughter. “I like it,” Reagan replied.
I like it, too. I like it very much. Now, four or five decades later, I also worked for President Trump in his first term as one of his economic advisers. So feature what Mr. Trump said on Iran yesterday, on this whole trust but verify saga.
A reporter asked: “Mr. President, how would you characterize the current state of the talks with Iran? I guess if it were a football field, what yard line would you be on?”
Mr. Trump replied: “Well, I think we’re doing very well. They are starting to give us the things that they have to give us, and if they do, that’s great. And if they won’t, then the man on my left is going to finish him off.”
That being War Secretary Pete Hegseth on his left, I’d say that’s a pretty good version of, trust, but verify. Anyway, the ceasefire news today just seems to me to be an extension of Trumpian diplomacy, as Reagan also believed in diplomacy.
Yet as Reagan would never give in to Gorbachev on producing space based defense in those days called Star Wars, Mr. Trump will never give in to the radical Iranian Islamic regime regarding an end to nuclear weaponry of all kinds and an end to state sponsored terrorism and justice.
Reagan would never make a bad deal. So also, I believe Mr. Trump will never make a bad deal. So on taxes and economic growth and an end to nuclear terrorism, the two men nearly 40 years apart, faced similar challenges, and both emphasized the need to trust but verify.
