Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Brigadier General Nick Brown honor Ronald Reagan’s 115th birthday at his California library, celebrating his "peace through strength" defense legacy and economic policies—tax cuts slashed 1980s inflation from 13% to 4%, deregulation spurred growth despite housing costs rising fivefold today. McCarthy contrasts Reagan’s optimism with modern socialism trends, urging deregulation in education (where debt hits $100K/year) and energy to mirror past successes. AI’s risks demand innovation-friendly rules, while Reagan’s vision of America as "a city on a hill" remains critical amid global threats like China’s rise and nuclear proliferation. The episode underscores Reagan’s timeless influence in leadership and economic empowerment. [Automatically generated summary]
No details yet on what this news conference will focus on, but we'll be live right here on C-SPAN, C-SPAN Now, our free video mobile app and online on demand at c-span.org.
Let's get to calls here.
John is in Kansas City, Missouri Democratic College.
John, what's on your mind?
Thank you for taking my call.
This is my third call to speak to C-SPAN.
I've been watching C-SPAN since your inaugural show in 1979.
Okay.
Yes.
What I called about today is the politics of the day, what Trump is doing.
You can watch this online at c-SPAN.org.
We're going to leave it to take you live to the Ronald Reagan Foundation and Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California for a commemoration of the former president's 150th.
We expect to hear keynote remarks from former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
You're watching live coverage here on C-SPAN.
Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate what would have been Ronald Reagan's 115th birthday.
I'd like to begin by recognizing some of the special guests with us today.
And we've certainly been blessed over the last two decades for as long as we've been holding these birthday celebrations to have Michael Reagan regularly join us for the president's birthday every year.
As you may know, very sadly, Michael passed away last month.
He lived a life shaped by purpose and an abiding devotion to President Reagan's ideals.
He used his voice to champion freedom, personal responsibility, and the principles that defined his father's presidency.
And above all, he was a devoted son and a deeply loyal friend to the Reagan Foundation and Institute.
And Michael is sorely missed.
We are beyond honored to have with us today members of Michael's immediate family.
His wife, Colleen, Colleen and Michael's adult daughter, who is President Reagan's granddaughter, Ashley Reagan Dunster.
And I would also like to recognize Ashley's husband, Joe.
Thank you all so much for being here, especially at this time.
We also have with us several members of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
I just ask that you please hold your applause for Andrew Littlefair, Ben Sutton, Alia Tudor, and former Governor of California, Pete Wilson, and his wife Gail.
We are also fortunate to have with us the former congressman from this district, Elton Gallagher, and his wife Janice.
From the United Kingdom, the Right Honorable Sir James Cleverly, Member of Parliament, and his wife Susanna.
And from the Republic of Poland, Paulina Kapuchinska, Consul General in Los Angeles.
It is now my honor to introduce Mr. Fred Ryan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
Did we get a bonus flyover?
No, it's just a helicopter.
Okay.
Fred has served President and Mrs. Reagan since 1980 in roles including Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling in the White House and as President Reagan's first post-presidency chief of staff.
In addition to being our board chairman, Fred heads our Center on Civility and Democracy, which supports Ronald Reagan's vision of fostering informed patriotism, where Americans can disagree about issues without villainizing each other and can find common ground and trust in our democratic institutions.
So, ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Mr. Fred Ryan.
Well, thank you, Dave, and welcome everyone.
Today, we gather to celebrate Ronald Reagan's 115th birthday, or as we know he would describe it, the 76th anniversary of his 39th birthday.
I'd like to begin with a very special thank you to all of the servicemen and women here today from Camp Pendleton.
This is the Reagan Library's 21st year.
Yes, thank you.
For 21 years, we have worked with Camp Pendleton to pay tribute to President Reagan on his birthday.
And we're honored to have the support of our servicemen and women here from such an important military installation.
On behalf of everyone here, and I know all Americans, thank you for all you do to honor our country.
Now, to officially begin our program in honor of the 115th birthday of Ronald Wilson Reagan, please rise for the March on of the Colors, the playing of our national anthem, and the invocation by Lieutenant Commander Ed Hadley, United States Navy Chaplain.
Do you want me to shoot behind?
Morning Prayer Salute00:15:42
hooray, rest to the prayer.
Almighty, the heavenly God.
We are here today in the memory of a life well lived.
Ronald Reagan was born in Pampico, Illinois, and entered public office as the 33rd governor of California and then as the 40th President of the United States.
Under his leadership, America's moral trajectory turned.
His policies strengthened our economy.
He ended the Cold War and gave due attention to the armed forces so that America could remain as a city on a hill that our founders envisioned.
Now, Lord, as we pray the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, who prayed that we have heard of the awesome works of God, now Lord, renew them in our day in this generation.
We ask that you raise up statesmen and patriots to do your bidding because we know that unless the Lord builds the house, the builders build it in vain.
And we stand here under the Heavenly Council and ask for the hand of Providence to guide the President of the United States, his cabinet, and all elected authority over us, that they may be just in purpose and wise in counsel, unwavering in duty, and in the administration of their solemn responsibilities, may they uphold the honor of our nation and secure the protection of our people.
All of this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, thy Son and our Savior.
Amen.
As part of this ceremony each year, we're privileged to be joined by the Commanding General at Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton.
And although these Commanding General posts change every few years, we're delighted to welcome back Brigadier General Nick Brown to the Reagan Presidential Library for his second celebration of President Reagan's birthday.
Brigadier General Brown has held numerous key operational assignments, including deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Monrovia, Liberia in support of Operation Onward Liberty.
General Brown's personal decorations include Defense Superior Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal with a gold star.
Please join me in welcoming General Nick Brown.
Well, good morning, everyone.
I'm ecstatic for the opportunity to be here with you again this year on what is just a gorgeous, gorgeous Friday morning.
Now, before I go any further, I just have to say that you all look amazing today.
And against this beautiful backdrop behind me, that serves as a perfect compliment to your smiles, your energy, and the gracious hospitality that you have shown me, my family, and all the Marines and civilians that have traveled here from just down the road at Camp Pendleton.
For those of us that are here, and particularly our younger Marines that may have not yet been born or who are too young to know or remember our 40th President and First Lady, I would ask that during this visit, you simply observe the class and the graciousness from everyone that represents this great presidential library, including the friends and admirers of President and Mrs. Reagan,
and of course the president's wonderful extended family that are here, especially Stetson.
Because just a year ago, Stetson was on the way, but now Stetson is here.
I am certain that after you've experienced the professionalism, the care, and the kindness from everyone on these grounds today, that you will then understand and you will feel who Ronald and Nancy Reagan were.
Not just as servants to our nation or as a commander-in-chief, but more importantly, you will understand who they were as a mom and dad, as grandparents, as a brother or sister, or simply as millions of us knew them across America as our friends.
So, on behalf of every Marine here, I want to say thank you for welcoming us and giving us a presidential welcome to this great place.
I am humbled this morning and each day to represent the roughly 60,000 Marines and sailors and their families who work, live, and train on one of our Southern California bases, as well as the thousands who are deployed overseas or actively serving in defense of our homeland.
These are the young men and women who represent the best of our society, exactly the type of protectors of our Constitution that President and Mrs. Reagan would be extremely proud of.
They are individuals along with the families who are the definition of duty, sacrifice, and a willingness to serve.
So please allow me a brief moment to introduce a few of them today.
Representing your Marine Corps team is a talented group of warrior musicians, Warriors First, from the 1st Marine Division Band, whose precision and sound have a way of making all of us stand a little prouder and a little straighter.
So thank you, Marines, for enriching us with your amazing talent.
Our color guard you saw this morning joins us from Camp Pendleton, led by National Color Bearer, Sergeant Christopher Scott from Cincinnati, Ohio, and with our organizational colors held by Sergeant Keani Cooks from Miami, Florida.
Marines, you both look great today.
Along with our Razor Sharp Honor Guard, who will render America's highest ceremonial military honor.
And there's absolutely no more honorable duty than that for any rifleman.
So, Marines, thank you for everything you're doing today to honor our president and everything you do to protect this nation.
Since the last time we came together to honor President and Mrs. Reagan, a lot has changed.
Government and national security, and that's an understatement.
But change is normal.
It comes with every new administration.
It brings change to national priorities, defense policy, organizational structures.
We are now the Department of War, as you know.
And it evolves naturally with changes in global affairs.
For your Marine Corps, change means learning, transforming, and modernizing.
But there are certain constants that must never change, because they are as necessary both today and tomorrow as they were in 1980 and 1988.
For the Marines, it's our core values of honor, courage, and commitment that never change.
For the department, for any commander-in-chief, it is a commitment to the safety and security of a nation that never changes.
We are fortunate that President Reagan provided the doctrinal blueprint as early as 1981 for our current defense strategy that makes peace through strength a security imperative.
For both the Department of War and the Marine Corps, a strong military, as President Reagan noted, prepares us for peace.
And today, President Reagan's philosophy is driving smart investments in military readiness and technology, improving our acquisitions process, expanding our defense industrial base, and continuing to attract smart, fit, and respectful young men and women to volunteer for service in defense of our nation.
President Reagan said it plainly in a statement on defense policy in 1983 when he said, a strong, credible American defense is indispensable to protecting peace and preserving the free way of life our people cherish.
It is a simple yet valuable lesson that I can assure you will continue to serve as a guide for this department and your Marine Corps as we address the challenges of a dangerous world.
For President Reagan to preserve the peace and deter aggression throughout the 1980s must have appeared on many days to be an insurmountable task.
Even a historian's view of global events throughout President Reagan's administration is only to see a mere fraction of the forces and variables that could threaten our way of life and frankly our world existence at that time.
So I can only surmise that nearly every national security decision was an agonizing one.
We know that presidents rarely get the opportunity to make easy decisions.
President Reagan wisely chose and relied on phenomenal advisors to help him make complex decisions.
Names we know, like Baker, Meese, Gergen, Deaver, Schultz, just to name a few.
And albeit hard decisions, history and our presence here tells us that those decisions were the correct ones.
But whether you are a president, a congressional leader, or a general, there are times when these complex national security decisions or policy decisions require an advisor that can also serve as your conscience, your moral compass, or even your counterbalance.
A person, in this case, a lady named Nancy, brought for the President and this nation the perfect blend of humanity, empathy, and discipline that may not always be readily available in the situation room or in a cabinet meeting.
At a 1988 RNC luncheon in New Orleans, President Reagan gave us perspective on Nancy's impact when he noted, she once said that a president has all kinds of advisors and experts who look after his interests when it comes to foreign policy or the economy or whatever, but no one who looks after his needs as a human being.
Well, Nancy has done that for me throughout the recuperations and crisis.
Every president should be so lucky.
And by extension, we are all lucky that Mrs. Reagan was there to provide wisdom and protection through their White House tenure and 52-year married journey.
We are all grateful to the First Lady, and we thank her for her service to our nation, love for her husband, and care for us all.
As Marines and all members of the military and veterans can attest, we proudly sworn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, because that document is the foundation of our freedom and our way of life.
And that makes it a document and an idea worth defending.
We are all fortunate today to have the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, with us, a Californian and patriot who led for nearly 20 years in what my fellow Marines might call the engine room of democracy, our House of Representatives.
His career of service shows us why the founders nearly 240 years ago mandated this system of co-equal branches of government and thought it important enough that the first two sections of Article 1 of our Constitution would establish a Congress that directly represents the will of its citizens.
And democracy gets ugly sometimes, but it has worked for centuries, and to protect it as a Marine or sailor is a solemn duty, and we take it seriously.
And I know that these Marines here today would swear that oath over and over again.
Speaker McCarthy, thank you for your years of service in Congress and beyond.
Thank you for helping us maintain peace through strength through your many votes in support of a strong military, especially in support of those that were in combat.
And thank you for taking what I can only imagine were the many bumps and bruises while confirming the value of a functioning democracy.
For that, sir, we owe you a debt of gratitude.
For the great citizens of this nation, your support of our Marines and sailors is the reason that we serve, the reason that we fight, and the reason that we are able to win in any clime and place.
So as I close this morning, I would like to take this chance to renew a pledge your Marines made last year to our former Commander-in-Chief, First Lady, and everyone that is here today.
This nation will celebrate its 250th birthday here in just a few months.
So it's important that we collectively reflect on our history and always look toward a better future.
So similar to last year, our pledge is that we, the Marines, will continue to do the work necessary to be most ready when the nation is least ready.
We will continue to be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars and the resources that we're given.
And we will always conduct ourselves with integrity and never compromise our core values of honor, courage, and commitment.
Because that's who we are, and that's what you would expect from us.
Thank you, Mr. President and First Lady, for your example, for being faithful to our nation, and for being a dear friend of the United States Marine Corps.
May God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America.
Thank you, General, for those thoughtful and inspiring words.
As I mentioned earlier, we've been fortunate to have the general here for the last two years.
Could you circle your calendar for February 6th of 2027?
We'd love to have you back.
Well, we're gathered here today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth, the 115th anniversary of the birth of President Ronald Reagan, a man whose life and leadership continue to inspire our nation and the world.
Born 115 years ago in a small Midwestern town, President Reagan carried with him a deep love for America and a firm belief in the goodness and potential of its people.
Those values guided him from humble beginnings to the highest office in the land.
President Reagan believed in freedom, opportunity, and the dignity of every individual.
He trusted the American people and reminded us that our nation is strongest when government is limited and citizens are empowered.
Even in difficult times, he spoke with optimism and confidence, encouraging Americans to look forward, not backwards, and to believe that our best days are still ahead.
Just as important as what President Reagan believed was how he led.
He valued civility, respect, and grace, especially toward those with whom he disagreed.
He showed us that strong convictions and good manners are not opposites, but partners.
President Reagan understood that progress is possible when we listen, when we treat one another with dignity, and when we seek common ground without sacrificing principle.
So as we honor President Reagan on his 115th birthday, we do more than remember his achievements.
We recommit ourselves to the values that he lived by.
Through the work of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, we strive to carry forward his legacy by educating future leaders and reminding all Americans that freedom, optimism, and civility are tireless virtues.
So may his example continue to guide us, and may we always work to build a nation worthy of his enduring faith in America.
It is now my honor to introduce our keynote speaker.
Like President Reagan, our speaker did not begin his political journey as a Republican.
Ronald Reagan's Vision00:15:10
He was raised a Democrat.
And like Ronald Reagan, it was the clarity of conservative principles and President Reagan himself that ultimately shaped his path.
He has said many times that Ronald Reagan is the reason he became a Republican, a testament to the enduring power of President Reagan's ideas and leadership.
And as we approach America's 250th anniversary, our keynote speaker embodies the very spirit of the American dream.
At just 19 years old, he turned a $5,000 lottery win into an opportunity, opening his own deli and then selling it to pay for college.
Now, that story is more than just a fun fact.
It reflects ingenuity, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit that President Reagan so deeply admired.
He rose quickly as a leader in California politics, becoming minority leader in the United States Assembly before representing California in the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2023.
In 2023, he became Speaker of the House, one of the highest offices in our democracy.
And during his tenure, he championed freedom around the world, including having then-President Tsai of Taiwan here at the Reagan Presidential Library for a bipartisan summit, underscoring the library's role as a place of principle, leadership, and global engagement.
Please join me in welcoming a leader shaped by the Reagan legacy and dedicated to the values, principles, and ideas that continue to define our nation, Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Welcome, Kevin.
Thank you so very much.
It is true the reason I am a Republican is because of Ronald Reagan.
And people ask if there are any similarities.
We're both Irish.
We both loved this state.
We might not recognize it today.
And we both inspired and rejected what we heard from Democrats back home.
So we believed in this party stronger than others would ever think.
So I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be here today.
It is a large honor.
To Governor Pete and Gail Wilson, thank you for what you have done for our country as well.
In the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan, I wasn't here.
Elton and Janice Gegli, we were going to the Eastern Bloc of Europe.
We went to Warsaw, to Budapest, to Prague, and then to London, dedicating statues of Ronald Reagan, realizing that the greatest strength of America is not our military, but the idea.
And the greatest communicator of all times of that idea was the man we honor today.
Thank you, Fred, for that introduction, and thank you for your leadership of the Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
To the board and the staff and the supporters of this foundation, it is a true honor to join you.
You are not just admirers of Ronald Reagan.
You are stewards of his legacy.
Many of you knew him.
Some of you worked for him.
All of you continue to carry his values, principles, and ideas forward long after his presidency ended.
You believe his ideas, our ideas, are worth fighting for.
And let's remember, they are.
Before I continue, I want to offer my condolences to the passing of Michael Reagan.
Michael devoted his life to preserving his father's legacy.
That includes the work of this foundation.
He was a good and honorable man who believed his father's ideas still mattered, and he was right.
Ronald Reagan once said, The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things.
He is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things.
Michael lived out those wise words.
Would you please join me in honoring Michael's life and legacy with a moment of silence?
Thank you.
Michael will be missed.
We gather here today to mark the 76th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's 39th birthday.
You know, no one loved to tell a joke more than President Ronald Reagan.
He was great at self-deprecating humor, especially about his age.
This was one of his favorites.
Thomas Jefferson once said, we should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.
And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying.
But you and I are here not just to laugh, we are here to learn.
Ronald Reagan loved to give gifts.
Today may be his birthday, but he has given us a tremendous gift.
That gift is the gift of the ability to apply the traditions of the past to a changing future.
I want to talk about the three lessons which I believe I learned from Ronald Reagan.
Lesson number one, peace without freedom is meaningless.
Think of that.
Peace without freedom is meaningless.
Lesson number two, trust ordinary people to control their own destinies.
And lesson three, America is too great for small visions.
But first, let's take stock of where we are today.
Mankind faces many challenges across the globe.
It could be hard to keep up with the headlines, to focus on the big picture, or even to know what is true.
But there is no better place than the Reagan Library to cut through the noise to tell us the truth.
If we listen closely, we can still hear Ronald Reagan whispering words of wisdom to guide our way.
When I was Speaker, I had this painting of President Reagan in my office behind my desk.
It was in color.
It was smiling because he was an optimist, a conservative who believed.
And if he gave you one lesson, he would tell you, if you believe your principles bring people more freedom, there's no reason to be angry.
You should be happy.
Be a happy conservative.
That's how he brought others to the party and to the beliefs.
You know, during my most difficult challenge that I face, I would look up at the painting and think, what would President Reagan do?
Because so many of those challenges are exactly the same today.
They still are.
Think about the tests Reagan faced when he entered office in 1981.
America was a nation in retreat.
We ran from Vietnam and surrendered the Panama Canal.
We were humiliated by the hostages crisis in Iran.
Meanwhile, the Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan.
At home, inflation was crushing families.
Taxes were too high and relentless crime made communities unsafe.
I still remember as a child the lines for gasoline, not being able to go down south to visit my grandmother because our car license plate ended in an even number, but it was an odd day.
That was America.
Perhaps worst of all, I remember hearing about the loss of confidence in the American dream.
I remember in elementary school turning on the TV, listening to our president Jimmy Carter, give a firehouse chat and tell me the best days of America were behind us.
But then Ronald Reagan told us something different.
He said, tomorrow will be better than today, and he made it so.
Our challenges today are similar to Reagan's back then.
As we have been warned, history doesn't repeat itself, but it certainly does rhyme.
On the world stage, China has replaced the Soviet Union as our greatest adversary.
The greatest threat to America in the 21st century is the Chinese Communist Party.
The challenge is we are as much closely connected to China than we were to the Soviet Union.
Ronald Reagan had to deal with the Soviet nuclear arsenal.
Today, the number of adversaries with nuclear weapons has grown.
The Chinese nuclear arsenal has doubled in recent years.
Reagan's answer to make a nuclear attack unthankable was through missile defense.
Ronald Reagan had Star Wars.
We now have created the Golden Dome.
In foreign policy, Reagan worked to reassert America's interest and strengthen alliances.
Today, so are we.
NATO is paying more.
Our relationship with Israel has never been stronger.
Military deterrence is back.
Instead of Grenada, we have Venezuela.
Reagan crippled Iran's navy.
We destroyed Iran's nuclear program.
And after four years of weakness, our adversaries are being reminded of the true meaning of peace through strength.
The question is, will bold strikes lead to lasting democracy?
Economically, Reagan had regonomics.
He recognized the threats presented by big government, big institutions, and big monopolies.
Today, Reaganomics has been reapplied.
After the worst inflation since Jimmy Carter, the American economy is booming.
Entrepreneurship is live and well again.
Reagan had mourning in America.
We now have the golden age.
Reagan faced the challenge of socialism.
So do we.
Like Reagan, we are unequivolently on the side of freedom.
As for technology, President Reagan's years saw the computer revolution.
We're living through the AI revolution.
Just like with computers then, artificial intelligence is replacing and reshaping how we work, how we think, and even how we understand what it means to be human.
All these are pressing challenges facing America today.
In times of uncertainty, it is tempting to believe our challenges are new.
History says otherwise.
Like Reagan, I believe that America is too great for small visions.
Like Reagan, I believe that the future calls for optimism over fear.
Like President Reagan, I believe that you and I have a rendezvous with destiny.
By reapplying Reagan's lessons for today, the American idea can be renewed, rebuilt, restored, and revitalized now and for the future.
On foreign affairs, we face the test of keeping peace.
Peace depends on strength.
Economic strength, military strength, and the moral strength of American leadership.
Ronald Reagan lived through four bloody wars.
He understood that peace must be built, preserved, and passed on through strength.
He famously said in 1986, peace does not exist on its own will.
One of the most courageous decisions of Reagan's presidency was the major military buildup.
Reagan had seen the consequences of the Soviet aggression in the 1970s.
He felt America had no choice but to respond.
So Reagan rebuilt American strength.
He restored deterrence.
In his first year of office, despite the criticism from the left, America had the largest peacetime expansion of our defense budget ever.
And a testament to Reagan's statesmanship, that we live in the longest period in history without a great powers war since the Roman Empire.
We owe the peace we enjoy today to Reagan's courage.
We must guard it.
To again quote President Reagan, freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction.
Today, America faces another challenge of power.
This time, it's a multipolar world.
Reagan famously proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative Missile Defense Program.
His critics laughed at it.
Remember what they called it?
Star Wars.
But the Soviet Union feared it because they could not keep up.
And Reagan's decision, roundly criticized by the media at the time, helped drive the Soviet Union collapse.
Today, I think President Trump is right to stress the need for a nuclear missile shield, the Golden Dome.
At the same time, Reagan would tell us that alliances matter.
Today, we fear that Europe is not paying their fair share in NATO.
That criticism is justified.
Our allies should pay more.
In his time, Reagan also faced allies who wanted America's protection without fully sharing America's burden.
As the world faced the renewed threat of the Soviet aggression, he pushed our allies in Europe to carry their weight.
When combined with American military buildup, Reagan accomplished two things.
He made the world safe for democracy, and he made America the number one power.
Four decades later, we remain the world's superpower, thanks to President Reagan.
As Reagan said in 1984, to continue the peace we enjoy, we must show clear support of our allies and exhibit strength and steadiness to those who wish us ill.
As Speaker of the House, I took those words from Reagan to heart.
When I hosted the President of Taiwan, I chose to meet right here at the Reagan Library.
You know why I picked this site?
Reagan's Legacy00:10:58
I wanted the setting to speak before anyone else spoke.
This place stands as an iron proof that communism and oppression can be defeated without firing a single shot.
The meeting was the first time a president from Taiwan had met a Speaker of the House on American soil.
She was welcomed not only by me, but also by members of both parties from the Select Committee on China, Republicans and Democrats.
I wanted to show the world that America spoke with one voice on this question, despite our many differences.
We met for more than two hours.
Then we held a press conference behind Air Force One.
Then I brought the Republican and Democrat members together right in front of that piece of the Berlin Wall.
We had 173 cameras.
The Chinese Communist Party paid people $500 an hour to wave and protest us out front.
We welcomed the protest.
But I will never forget what the first question from the press that day.
It was Andrea Mitchell.
She looked at me and said, I was there with President Reagan when he made the famous speech to say, tear down this wall.
And I was moved with emotion as a media from the press.
But when I look at you, the Republicans and Democrats alike, standing hand in hand, meeting the President of Taiwan for the first time on American soil, I am just as emotional today.
He may not be physically here, but he's still changing the world and proved it that day.
It was clear to me then and it's clear to me now that peace through strength makes America the world safer.
On the challenge of inflation, affordability, and cost of living, we face the challenge of rising prices and unfortunately the rise of socialism right here at home.
One of the most lasting policy changes of the Reagan years were Reaganomics.
When Reagan took office, inflation was at 13%.
Interest rates hitting 20% and unemployment was high.
People had lost faith.
In response, Reagan cut taxes.
He slashed regulation.
He unleashed free enterprise and he made it easier for Americans to save and start a family.
He did all this in less than two years.
What were the results?
Inflation declined.
Incomes rose across every demographic.
America saw one of the longest peacetime expansions in American history.
In short, it was mourning in America again.
In January 1984, as the recovery took hold, Reagan said, progress begins when trusting people.
Reagan believed ordinary people were capable of extraordinary things.
He never forgot that the American people, not the government, are the ultimate engines of growth.
Today, polls show that Americans, particularly younger Americans, prefer socialism to free enterprise.
Now, we could dismiss this as the ignorance of youth.
While that may be true, that would be a mistake on our part.
Young Americans face challenges today that would test anyone's faith in the system.
For one, let's look at housing.
A typical home during Reagan's presidency cost three times the average salary, and that was with 20% interest rates.
Today, it costs five times the average annual salary of a working family.
Young people today work hard, play by the rules, but still can't afford to start a family.
That's not sustainable.
But here's what Reagan would tell us.
Free markets are not the problem.
Market distortions from the government are.
So let's apply those principles today.
On housing, punishing regulations have created a bottleneck for building new homes.
In California, I'm not quite sure President Reagan would recognize it today.
The governance has been different than when he and Governor Wilson were governor.
You wouldn't pay twice the price for gas in California as you would in another state.
You wouldn't leave, the population wouldn't shrink in California, it would grow.
Reagan deregulated energy and transportation.
We need to deregulate housing so young families can afford homes in California again.
On education, student debt has skyrocketed.
Why?
Because student loans backed by government had inflated costs.
If President Reagan was alive today, I'm sure he would ask this question.
Why are we subsidizing colleges that charge $100,000 a year to teach our kids capitalism is evil?
We need more competition, more transparency, and more accountability.
And most of all, we need more truth.
On opportunity, Reaganomics used tax reform to encourage savings and investment.
This allowed families to build wealth.
Last year, Republicans did pass the historic tax cuts.
Republicans even created historic new investment accounts for newborn Americans.
And we can all invest in it.
What America will look like 30 years from now will be much different based upon what Reagan has taught us.
Allowing families to invest in their future, to save without being crushed by inflation, and start businesses without drowning in red tape is why more Americans will choose free enterprise over socialism.
As Reagan said in 1982, today's young people must never be held hostage to the mistakes of the past.
The only way to avoid making those mistakes again is to learn from them.
Our job is to continue to prove all Americans benefit from his conservative principles.
On artificial intelligence, we face the dual tests of limitless opportunities and serious challenges.
We should not fear the future.
We should shape it.
During the technological surge of the 1980s, President Reagan responded by daring America to lead.
We live in the new age of discovery.
The 20th century was shaped by the microchip.
The 21st century will be shaped by artificial intelligence.
AI is already transforming industries, redefining work, and raising questions about the balance of freedom and control.
Winning the AI era will require capital, talent, energy, and speed.
It will require America regulatory environment for private sector companies, large and small, that allows for risk rather than suffocating it.
It will require more energy, natural gas, oil, nuclear energy as well.
It will require remembering that America's innovators, thinkers, founders, and builders have always been one of our nation's greatest strategic strengths.
Technology does not change human nature, but it does magnify the values of the society that builds it.
You know, as we celebrate President Ronald Reagan's 115th birthday, we are also preparing to celebrate America's 250th birthday.
This is altogether fitting.
Reagan believed in America.
He called America a shiny city on the hill because he believed our example mattered, not just to us, but to the world.
He called this nation the last best hope of man on earth because he knew that if freedom fails here, it retreats around the world.
And he reminded us, as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours.
Today, the torch has been passed to us.
We must not drop it.
Our task is not just to remember.
Our task is to renew.
As Ronald Reagan taught us 40 years ago, the future does not belong to the faint-hearted.
It belongs to the brave.
That same courage that won the Cold War.
That same confidence that sent a man to the moon and brought him back again safely.
The same commitment that restored opportunity, rebuilt our economy, and made us the envy of the world.
The same ideas that restored our pride in the country we all love.
They are still alive and well in every single American.
And if we trust the people, as President Reagan did, then America's best days are surely ahead of all of us.
Thank you and God bless.
Thank you.
Kevin, thank you for those very thoughtful remarks and for all you do to carry forward Ronald Reagan's legacy.
Now I'd like to ask everyone to please rise for the laying of the wreath and honors to President Reagan.
I will read the presidential order that's been issued by every president since President Reagan's passing.
Laying Wreaths for Reagan00:07:15
The President of the United States has directed that a presidential wreath be laid at the resting place of all former presidents on the anniversary of their birth.
Brigadier General Nick Brown, Commanding General of Camp Pendleton, California, is designated to place a wreath on the tomb of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan, on 6 February, 2026, in honor of the 115th anniversary of his birth, and in tribute to his distinguished service to a grateful nation.
Red day.
Aim First Red Day.
Aim First Red Day.
Aim First Jesus Christ.
I ask
Please Remain Standing00:04:10
that you please remain standing for the retiring of the colors and the conclusion of the ceremony with Anchors Away and the Marines Hymn.
America marks 250 years, and C-SPAN is there to commemorate every moment.
From the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the voices shaping our nation's future, we bring you unprecedented all-platform coverage, exploring the stories, sights, and spirit that make up America.
Join us for remarkable coast-to-coast coverage, celebrating our nation's journey, like no other network can.
America 250.
Over a year of historic moments.
America 25000:00:22
C-SPAN, official media partner of America 250.
Today, on C-SPAN Ceasefire, at a time when finding common ground matters most in Washington, we'll feature a bipartisan conversation on the future of immigration enforcement in the U.S. With John Sandwick serving as acting director Director of ICE during the Obama administration.