1167 Inside the Reagan White House: A Speechwriter’s Secrets on the 1981 Assassination Attempt On March 30, 1981, just weeks into his presidency, Ronald Reagan was nearly assassinated outside the Washington Hilton. The official narrative? A deranged loner obsessed with Jodie Foster. But is that the full story? In this gripping episode, Richard Syrett is joined by Ken Khachigian, Reagan’s longtime speechwriter, strategist, and confidant. With a front-row seat to history, Khachigian sheds light on what really happened behind closed doors in the Reagan White House following the assassination attempt. Were there hidden forces at play? Did the deep state have a stake in controlling the narrative? And should President Trump push for the release of classified files—just as he has with the JFK assassination? GUEST: Ken Khachigian is a veteran Republican strategist, speechwriter, and former senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan. As Reagan’s chief speechwriter during his historic 1980 campaign and a key figure in his administration, Khachigian helped shape the conservative movement. He is the author of Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan & Nixon WEBSITE: https://www.reaganandnixon.com BOOK: Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan & Nixon SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! HIMS - Making Healthy and Happy Easy to Achieve Sexual Health, Hair Loss, Mental Health, Weight Management START YOUR FREE ONLINE VISIT TODAY - HIMS dot com slash STRANGE https://www.HIMS.com/strange SHIP STICKS Skip airport stress and costly airline fees with complimentary insurance, real-time tracking, dedicated support, and on-time delivery. ShipSticks is offering our listeners 20% off your first shipment when you go to Shipskicks.com and use the code STRANGE. Go to https://www.shipsticks.com and use the code STRANGE to get 20% off your first shipment and save yourself the hassle this ski season. That’s S-H-I-P-S-T-I-C-K-S.com. Make sure you use the code STRANGE so they know we sent you. UP FIRST PODCAST FROM NPR Up First frees you from the all-day scroll obsession by telling you everything you need to know, in an easy 15 minutes. NO BS. Just the facts. Up First is the cure you need for your news fatigue. LISTEN NOW TO THE UP FIRST PODCAST FROM NPR BECOME A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER!!! https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm Three monthly subscriptions to choose from. Commercial Free Listening, Bonus Episodes and a Subscription to my monthly newsletter, InnerSanctum. Visit https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm Use the discount code "Planet" to receive one month off the first subscription. We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm/