Donald J. Trump’s language on the campaign trail (“silent majority”) and his divisive tactics (describing Mexican immigrants as “criminals”) seems to draw inspiration from the divide-and-conquer style of Richard M. Nixon.

As it turns out, it was the Nixons who drew inspiration from Mr. Trump – back in 1987, according to a new book.

On Dec. 21 of that year, Mr. Nixon, the former president, dashed off an admiring letter to the real estate developer, according to a new biography of Mr. Trump, Never Enough, by Michael D’Antonio.

Read the article “Read Richard Nixon’s 1987 Letter to Donald Trump” on nytimes.com.