Ronald Reagan

== Post-presidency (1989–2004) ==
{{Multiple image
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| image1            = Reagan and Gorbachev in western hats 1992.jpg
| alt1              = Reagan and Gorbachev relaxing at Rancho del Cielo in May 1992. Reagan gave Gorbachev a white cowboy hat, which he wore backwards.
| caption1          = Reagan and Gorbachev at Rancho del Cielo, 1992
| image2            = Reagans with USS Ronald Reagan model 1996.jpg
| alt2              = The Reagans and Newport News Shipbuilding chairman and CEO William Frick standing behind a model of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, 1996
| caption2          = Nancy and Ronald Reagan with a model of {{USS|Ronald Reagan}}, 1996
}}

Upon [[Inauguration of George H. W. Bush|leaving the presidency]] on January 20, 1989, at the age of 77, Reagan became the oldest president at the end of their tenure, surpassing [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] who [[Inauguration of John F. Kennedy|left office in 1961]] at age 70. This distinction will eventually pass to incumbent president [[Joe Biden]] who is currently {{Age in years|1942|11|20}} years old.<ref name="NYT01202021">{{cite news |last=Diaz |first=Johnny |date=January 18, 2021 |title=Biden Is the Oldest President to Take the Oath |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/us/politics/joe-biden-age-oldest-presidents.html |url-access=limited |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/us/politics/joe-biden-age-oldest-presidents.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |orig-year=Updated January 20, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg01192021">{{cite news |last1=Merrill |first1=Dave |last2=Caronello |first2=Sophie |date=January 19, 2021 |title=Biden to Become Oldest President Ever at Inauguration |agency=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-19/biden-to-become-oldest-president-ever-at-inauguration-graphic |url-status=live |access-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128211849/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-19/biden-to-become-oldest-president-ever-at-inauguration-graphic |archive-date=January 28, 2021}}</ref>

In retirement, Ronald and Nancy Reagan lived at [[668 St. Cloud Road]] in [[Bel Air, Los Angeles|Bel Air]], in addition to [[Rancho del Cielo]] in [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]].{{sfn|Woodard|2012|p=180}} He received [[List of accolades received by Ronald Reagan|multiple awards and honors]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/08/u-s-responds-to-the-death-of-queen-elizabeth-whose-reign-spanned-14-american-presidents-00055589 |title=Bidens offer condolences after death of Queen Elizabeth, whose reign spanned 14 American presidents |last=Ward |first=Myah |date=September 8, 2022 |website=[[Politico]] |access-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121035400/https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/08/u-s-responds-to-the-death-of-queen-elizabeth-whose-reign-spanned-14-american-presidents-00055589 |archive-date=January 21, 2023}}; {{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-presenting-the-presidential-medal-freedom-president-ronald-reagan |title=Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to President Ronald Reagan |date=January 23, 2023 |website=The American Presidency Project |access-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123133832/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-presenting-the-presidential-medal-freedom-president-ronald-reagan |archive-date=January 23, 2023}}</ref> and received generous payments for speaking engagements. In 1991, the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]] opened. Reagan also addressed the [[1992 Republican National Convention]] "to inspire allegiance to the party regulars";{{sfn|Woodard|2012|pp=181–182}} publicly favored the [[Brady Bill]], drawing criticism from gun control opponents;{{sfn|Brands|2015|pp=717–718}} a [[constitutional amendment]] requiring a balanced budget; and the repeal of the [[22nd Amendment]]. His final public speech occurred on February 3, 1994, during a tribute to him in Washington, D.C.; his last major public appearance was at the [[funeral of Richard Nixon]] on April 27, 1994.{{sfn|Woodard|2012|pp=181–182}}

===Support for Brady Bill===
In 1989, in his first public appearance after leaving office and shortly after a [[mass shooting]] at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California, he stated: "I do not believe in taking away the right of the citizen to own guns for sporting, for hunting, and so forth, or for home defense. But I do believe that an [[AK-47]], a machine gun, is not a sporting weapon or needed for the defense of the home".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Villoro |first=Elías |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Ronald Reagan on Gun Control circa 1989 |url=https://boingboing.net/2023/04/22/ronald-reagan-on-gun-control-circa-1989.html |access-date=October 27, 2023 |website=Boing Boing |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://qz.com/1217254/video-ronald-reagan-on-the-difference-between-military-rifles-and-self-defense | title=Video: Ronald Reagan on the difference between military rifles and self-defense | date=February 27, 2018 }}</ref>

In March 1991, Reagan wrote an op-ed in the New York Times, titled: "Why I'm for the [[Brady Bill]]".<ref>Shapira, Ian (March 2, 2018). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/03/02/before-trump-defied-the-nra-ronald-reagan-took-on-the-gun-lobby/ "Before Trump's Wild Shifts on the NRA, Ronald Reagan Took on the Gun Lobby."] ''[[The Washington Post]]''. Retrieved January 9, 2023.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Janel |date=February 5, 2013 |title=Did Reagan support an assault-weapons ban? |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2013/feb/05/barack-obama/did-reagan-support-assault-weapons-ban/ |access-date=November 13, 2023}}</ref> In 1994, Reagan, [[Gerald Ford]], and [[Jimmy Carter]] sent a letter to House members, urging them to support the controversial [[Federal Assault Weapons Ban]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eaton |first=William J |date=May 5, 1994 |title=Ford, Carter, Reagan push for gun ban |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-05-mn-54185-story.html |access-date=November 13, 2023}}</ref>

===Alzheimer's disease===
In August 1994, Reagan was diagnosed with [[Alzheimer's disease]], which he announced through a handwritten letter in November.{{sfn|Cannon|2000|p=xiv}} There was speculation over how long he had demonstrated symptoms of mental degeneration,<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/president-ronald-reagans-alzheimers-disease/3419232 |title=President Ronald Reagan's Alzheimer's Disease |date=June 7, 2004 |access-date=January 7, 2008 |publisher=Radio National }}</ref> but lay observations that he suffered from Alzheimer's while still in office have been widely refuted by medical experts;<ref>{{cite web|date=October 5, 1997|title=Reagan's doctors deny covering up Alzheimer's His mental status in office never in doubt, they say|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-10-05-1997278112-story.html|access-date=April 20, 2021|website=The New York Times|via=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Altman|first=Lawrence K.|date=February 21, 2011|title=When Alzheimer's Waited Outside the Oval Office|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/health/views/22reagan.html|url-status=live|access-date=May 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501061551/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/health/views/22reagan.html|archive-date=May 1, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="sr"/> his doctors said that he first began exhibiting overt symptoms of the illness in late 1992<ref name="NYT_2004/06/15">{{Cite news|last=Altman|first=Lawrence K.|date=June 15, 2004|title=The Doctors World; A Recollection of Early Questions About Reagan's Health|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/15/health/the-doctor-s-world-a-recollection-of-early-questions-about-reagan-s-health.html|url-status=live|access-date=May 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501060002/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/15/health/the-doctor-s-world-a-recollection-of-early-questions-about-reagan-s-health.html|archive-date=May 1, 2021}}</ref> or 1993.<ref name="sr"/> Over time, the disease destroyed Reagan's mental capacity. By 1997, he was reported to recognize few people other than his wife, though he continued to walk through parks and on beaches, play golf, and visit his office in nearby [[Century City]].<ref name="sr">{{Cite news|last=Altman|first=Lawrence K|date=October 5, 1997|title=Reagan's Twilight&nbsp;– A special report; A President Fades Into a World Apart|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/05/us/reagan-s-twilight-a-special-report-a-president-fades-into-a-world-apart.html|url-status=live|access-date=May 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501062254/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/05/us/reagan-s-twilight-a-special-report-a-president-fades-into-a-world-apart.html|archive-date=May 1, 2021}}</ref> Eventually, his family decided that he would live in quiet semi-isolation with his wife.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0103/04/lklw.00.html|title=Nancy Reagan Reflects on Ronald|publisher=CNN|date=March 4, 2001|access-date=April 6, 2007|archive-date=October 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023204041/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0103/04/lklw.00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> By the end of 2003, Reagan had lost his ability to speak and was mostly confined to his bed, no longer able to recognize any family members.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://people.com/premium/the-long-goodbye/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230604160258/https://people.com/premium/the-long-goodbye/|archive-date = June 4, 2023|title = The Long Goodbye|magazine = [[People (magazine)|People]]|date = December 4, 2003|accessdate = June 4, 2023}}</ref>

===Death and funeral===
{{Main|Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan}}
Reagan died of [[pneumonia]], complicated by Alzheimer's,<ref name = Neuman>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/archives/la-me-ronald-reagan-dies-20040604-story.html|title=Former President Reagan Dies at 93|last=Neuman|first=Johanna|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=June 5, 2004|access-date=December 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214085037/https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/archives/la-me-ronald-reagan-dies-20040604-story.html|archive-date=December 14, 2022}}</ref> at his home in Los Angeles, on June 5, 2004.<ref name=DrehleReaganDies>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2004/06/06/AR2005040207455_pf.html|title=Ronald Reagan Dies: 40th President Reshaped American Politics|author=Von Drehle, David|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=June 6, 2004|access-date=December 21, 2007}}</ref> President [[George W. Bush]] called Reagan's death "a sad hour in the life of America".<ref name = Neuman/> His public funeral was held in the [[Washington National Cathedral]],{{sfn|Brands|2015|p=731}} where [[eulogies]] were given by Margaret Thatcher, [[Brian Mulroney]], George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush.{{sfn|Woodard|2012|p=184}} Other world leaders attended including Mikhail Gorbachev and [[Lech Wałęsa]].{{sfn|Brands|2015|p=732}} Reagan was interred at his presidential library.{{sfn|Woodard|2012|p=184}}