While i wouldn’t characterize Reagan as someone who “took direction” I do think he had enough sense to surround himself with smart (evil) people, and give them the license to get things done, while still setting the overall course and, perhaps most importantly, mostly preventing those smart (evil) people from tearing each other apart. He may have been a figurehead for the Republican apparatus, but he managed it relatively well.
Trump on the other hand, does seem less likely to surround himself with smart people, and smart people seem less likely to want to be around him. He won’t allow the Republican apparatus to take over. And I think it unlikely that he’ll keep the individual motivations of his cabinet in check, and that they’ll be much more likely to cause more harm as a result.
