The conservative commentator remembered as promoting his father’s legacy, passed away peacefully at home.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and a conservative commentator, died on Jan. 4 at the age of 80.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute announced his passing in a post on the social media website X, calling him “a steadfast guardian of his father’s legacy.”
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute mourns the passing of Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman, and a steadfast guardian of his father’s legacy.
— Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute (@RonaldReagan) January 6, 2026
Michael Reagan lived a life shaped by conviction, purpose, and an abiding… pic.twitter.com/Y4VX9M8nsb
“Michael Reagan lived a life shaped by conviction, purpose, and an abiding devotion to President Reagan’s ideals,” the foundation said.
The cause of death was not immediately revealed.
According to family statements, Reagan passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loved ones.
“Michael was called home to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 4th, surrounded by his entire family,” his wife, Colleen Reagan, and two children, Cameron Reagan and Ashley Reagan Dunster, wrote in a statement. “Our hearts are deeply broken as we grieve the loss of a man who meant so much to all who knew and loved him.”
Born Michael Edward Reagan on March 18, 1945, in Los Angeles to Irene Flaugher and John Bourgholtzer, he was adopted just days after birth by Ronald Reagan and his first wife, Academy Award-winning actress Jane Wyman.
As a young man, he attended Arizona State University and Los Angeles Valley College before entering the acting world, appearing in television series such as “Falcon Crest.”
He hosted “The Michael Reagan Show,” a nationally syndicated talk radio program, for nearly 20 years, discussing politics, culture, and current events. He later became a contributor to the conservative Newsmax television network. As a Republican strategist and speaker, Reagan was sought after, incorporating his perspective as the son of the 40th president.
In Reagan’s 1988 autobiography “On the Outside Looking In” and the 2004 follow-up “Twice Adopted,” he discussed his difficult childhood, including feelings of not belonging in his famous family, and his profound journey of faith and forgiveness.
He penned “Lessons My Father Taught Me” in 2016, which explores the wisdom his father passed down.
Reagan was heavily involved in philanthropy, leveraging his passion for powerboat racing to raise millions for organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund. He served on the advisory board of the Mixed Roots Foundation, promoting foster care and adoption issues globally.
After his father’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease, he chaired the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation board for three years. He also served as the president and chair of the Reagan Legacy Foundation. He tirelessly championed his father’s conservative principles and accomplishments.
In a 2016 documentary about John F. Kennedy Jr., Reagan offered a perspective on the pressure of growing up under the shadow of a president and the expectation that Kennedy Jr. would follow in his father’s footsteps and run for president.
“John was smart enough to know, ‘I’m Junior. I’m not my father,’” he said.
He was one of Ronald Reagan’s five children, including Maureen (deceased), Christine (deceased), Patti Davis, and Ron Reagan.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
