Reagan ran on doing this in 1980.
He criticized it as a waste of taxpayer’s money.
Particularly when speaking to young people.
Two months after inauguration he sent Ed Meese out there to read a canned statement that they would not be doing this.
Perhaps the lone dishonest thing I recall him doing.
Reality sometimes rears its head on campaign promises. I had to register after serving two enlistments.
Maybe Reagan realized he was wrong. He quietly did the right thing often, such as implementing a ‘we ask, don’t join’ policy for homosexuals in the military and also ending sex-integrated basic training in the army. Like Rome at the beginning of her decline, there are an increasing number of young men..or males I guess to be more accurate, who not only are unwilling to serve in uniform in any capacity but who are perfectly happy watching young women their age deploy while they stay at home. Personally I think it speaks to their character, but that’s just me.