Michael Reagan, the eldest son of former US president Ronald Reagan and a conservative commentator, has died at the age of 80. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute announced his death on Tuesday in a post on X, describing him as “a steadfast guardian of his father’s legacy”.
Reagan was a regular contributor to Newsmax and hosted a talk radio programme, The Michael Reagan Show, for nearly two decades. He was born in 1945 to Irene Flaugher and was adopted hours later by Ronald Reagan and his then-wife, actress Jane Wyman.
After attending Arizona State University and Los Angeles Valley College, Reagan pursued acting, appearing in television shows such as Falcon Crest. Later, he wrote several books, including Lessons My Father Taught Me (2016), and two memoirs detailing his difficult childhood and journey of faith.
Throughout his life, Reagan raised funds for charities such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, often using powerboat racing as a means of fundraising. He also chaired the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation, working to combat the disease that claimed his father in 2004.
Reagan is survived by his wife Colleen, to whom he was married for decades, and their two children. He served as president and chair of the Reagan Legacy Foundation, championing the ideals of his father, who was known for scaling back government and winning the Cold War.
