 Perot was a hawk on the Vietnam War , an advocate for Americans held as prisoner of war and a supporter for their families . During the war , he aided soldiers by providing supplies and holding rallies for those returning home . In public affairs , he led the Texas War on Drugs Committee in 1979 at the behest of Republican Governor Bill Clements , and was put in charge of the Select Committee on Public Education in 1983 by Democratic Governor Mark White . Perot 's most dear political effort involved the Vietnam War POW / MIA issue . He worked extensively to free soldiers that he believed had been left behind , and even engaged in secret diplomatic talks with the Vietnamese government , to the chagrin of the Reagan White House . Perot had been supportive of President Ronald Reagan and labeled him as a " great president " in 1986 . He even pledged $ 2 @.@ 5 million to support his presidential library , but the relationship soured after Perot was sent on a trip to Hanoi , and determined afterwards that the administration was not taking the POW / MIA issue seriously . He revoked his pledge to the library in 1987 , based on the POW / MIA issue as well as his disillusionment from the administration 's actions during the Iran – Contra affair . He became a critic of the George H. W. Bush administration , and opposed the 1991 Gulf War . 
