How Trump Is Killing Off the ‘Reagan Republican’ in Congress

Less than a decade ago, all but a few Republicans in Congress would have taken the title of “Reagan Republican” as a badge of honor.

The 40th president’s “peace through strength” mantra guided decades of GOP philosophy on foreign affairs, with generations of Republicans emulating Ronald Reagan’s vision for modernizing the military and investing in alliances abroad.

But these days, as the GOP remakes itself in the image of Donald Trump, the moniker of “Reagan Republican” is no longer the proud distinction it once was.

It’s more like a MAGA epithet.

For over a year now, Congress has struggled to pass new aid for Ukraine, the war-torn nation dismantling the military of one of the United States’ most hostile enemies. Israel, long considered one of the U.S.’s most important allies, hasn’t received congressionally approved aid in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack either. And Taiwan, staring down surging Chinese aggression, is also waiting on help from Congress.