Hot NJ Governor's Race: A View From The Ground

Dan chats with retired union carpenter Patrick Cassio of Rahway, NJ. Nobody knows more about working class New Jersey than this guy. Patrick doesn't mince words. Click above and get his gritty, on-the-ground view of the hot NJ gubernatorial race.

Dan Cirucci Blog Reaches 15 MILLION Pageviews!

The Dan Cirucci Blog reaches a 

GREAT NEW MILESTONE 

15 MILLION PAGEVIEWS! 

Thanks, everybody 

for  making us a 

huge success.

We are truly grateful!

Here's Why Mikie Needs To Release The Records

.@Richzeoli hits the nail on the head: If Sherrill covered up cheating at the Naval Academy, will she cover up for corrupt Democrats in Trenton? #ReleaseTheRecords pic.twitter.com/ftJbXRGXwx

— Carlos Cruz (@cruzx19) September 29, 2025

From The Philadelphia Public Relations Association

 

In The USA: A War On Christian Churches!

Following is a very special message from catholicvote.org: 

As we prayed our annual CV novena to St. Michael the Archangel over the weekend, we received a stark reminder of why we pray, why we fast, and why both need to be a regular part of life. To borrow some words from St. Paul, we must do so, “without ceasing.”   Yesterday, just one month after the lethal shooting at Annunciation Church in Minnesota, people of faith were once more attacked in their house of worship.   This time the target was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan.   At least four are dead and eight wounded as the result of a man ramming the church with a truck, opening fire, and then setting the church ablaze.   These are not isolated incidents.   In 2025 alone, Catholic churches have been targeted 47 times. Since 2020, there have been 528 documented acts of hostility against Catholic churches in the U.S. alone. And churches and houses of worship of other faiths have faced similar acts of violence and desecration. Each incident is not only an assault on individuals but on the freedom to worship God in peace.

We can’t agree more with President Trump, who yesterday posted in his familiar upper-case, “THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!” But his cannot be the only voice.   Last week, our team met with officials from a task force of the Department of Justice to raise the alarm about the rising tide of anti-Christian violence and institutional bias. The DOJ expressed concern and indicated that the Administration is exploring federal resources to help protect schools and houses of worship that feel under threat. If done with religious freedom protections, this could be a positive step.    Another is a call for media of all sides, community leaders, concerned citizens, and elected officials at every level of government to stand up and say no to this violence.    Whatever a perpetrator’s motive, whatever his or her political affiliation, ethnic background, self-proclaimed identity, or mental health status, resorting to violence cannot be tolerated. And we must send a message as a nation that it will not be.   But for us as Catholics, response begins where it always has—with prayer.   Our devotion to St. Michael the Archangel is not just reserved for moments of crisis. It is our daily spiritual armor. We pray for protection, but also for the grace to stand firm in worship, in witness, and in unwavering hope.   May St. Michael defend the Church—and our nation—in this hour of trial.   Go forward bravely,

Kelsey Reinhardt President, CatholicVote

You Don't Wanna Miss THIS Event!

 

Philly Pops Sets Sinatra/Bennett Tribute 10/25

The (Re)Born Philly Pops proudly presents its first concert in Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center on Saturday, October 25 at 3 pm with Luck Be A Lady: The Music of Frank Sinatra & Tony Bennett, a one-of-a-kind tribute to two of America’s greatest voices. Guest conductor Herb Smith returns to lead the Pops alongside two outstanding vocalists: Philadelphia's acclaimed Eddie Bruce, and Kelly Levesque, international, multi-genre star. 

This program relives the hits of Sinatra and Bennett, touching on Bennett’s final performances of his incredible life, inspired by the duets between Bennett and Lady Gaga. Featured Pops soloists for these timeless classics will include trumpet player Matt Gallagher, saxophonist Ron Kerber, and trombonist Paul Arbogast. 

Executive Director Matt Koveal welcomes this collaboration: "Luck Be A Lady is more than just a concert, it’s a celebration of the incredible talent we have right here in Philadelphia. Showcasing Eddie Bruce alongside our own world class Philly Pops musicians as featured soloists is a reminder of the depth and brilliance of our local music community. We’re proud to put these extraordinary artists front and center, giving our audience the chance to experience the magic that happens when local talent meets the full Pops sound, while playing the music everyone knows and loves.”

 

Eddie Bruce, celebrated vocalist and bandleader, is known for his electrifying tributes to legends such as Tony Bennett, Anthony Newley, Frank Sinatra, and the great Broadway and film composers, as well as his homage to Philadelphia’s famed Latin Casino. He has headlined sold-out shows at New York’s 54 Below, Birdland and Feinstein’s at Loew’s Regency, Atlantic City casinos and Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center and World Café Live. Known nationally as the host of the TV show Dancin’ on Air and his WWDB Radio talk show, Bruce has expanded his reach with a new big-band album, the reissue of his Tony Bennett tribute, and many high-profile appearances at Phillies games, the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and concerts with the reborn Philly Pops.

 

Kelly Levesque (pronounced ‘Levek’) New York–born Levesque is singer-songwriter whose career launched with a debut on Reprise/Warner Brothers Records at the age of 18. She has graced the world’s greatest  stages, including Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House, Madison Square Garden, the Kennedy Center, and the White House. She has performed with the likes of Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle, and John Legend, and earned two Top 5 Billboard Classical Crossover albums with the trio Three Graces and Diane Warren’s Due Voci project. Known for her belief in “Music With Meaning,” Kelly has written songs supporting domestic violence awareness and autism advocacy, and contributed her voice to film soundtracks, TV series, and national commercials. She has sung for international royalty, four U.S. Presidents, and Pope Benedict XVI, and is currently co-creating a new dramatic musical with her singer-songwriter husband, Fraser Walters.

 

Herb Smith is a dynamic conductor, trumpeter, composer, and educator whose career spans classical and jazz. Luck Be A Lady marks his much anticipated return to the Kimmel Center after conducting The No Name Pops in a concert titled “Let’s Groove Tonight” in October 2023. Smith is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, who plays third trumpet in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and principal trumpet with the Gateways Festival Orchestra and Brass Collective. He has performed with legendary artists, including Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, the O’Jays, and Jeff Beck. His jazzy Freedom Trio tours nationally, while his compositions, commissioned by ensembles and choreographers like Tony Award-winner Garth Fagan, span genres from reggae to classical. Smith is a frequent guest conductor with orchestras across New York, leading performances from Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man at Black Lives Matter rallies to concerts honoring Harriet Tubman. A dedicated teacher, he instructs at the Eastman Community Music School, leads masterclasses nationwide, and co-founded Herb’s City Trumpets, a mentorship program for Black students in Rochester.

 

For tickets and more information, visit our website: www.phillypops.net

 

About the Philly Pops

 

Founded in 2023, Liberty Bell Pops, dba The Philly Pops, is a versatile ensemble composed of the former musicians of the pre-2023 Philly Pops with a mission to deliver authentic, exceptional musical experiences in the Philadelphia region. Gifted the name Philly Pops by the estate of Music Director Emeritus Peter Nero, the reborn Philly Pops is led by Music Director Christopher Dragon and features world-class soloists. The Pops continues to captivate audiences with its vibrant and diverse repertoire, melding tradition with an innovative approach unbound by musical genre.

 

Liberty Bell Pops, dba The Philly Pops, has no affiliation either legally or artistically with Encore Series, Inc., the former management company of the Philly Pops.

If This Isn't OUTRAGEOUS, What Is?

The Islamist who screamed at a Muslim NYPD officer for stopping rioters from burning down NYC has been revealed as an intern for Zohran Mamdani.

These are the lunatics who’ll run the city if he becomes mayor.

pic.twitter.com/XELR1smu5w

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) September 28, 2025

NJ Congressmen To Mikie: RELEASE THE RECORDS!

Joint Statement from Reps. Smith, Van Drew and Kean on Rep. Sherrill’s Navy Cheating Scandal

In light of last week’s explosive news report in the New Jersey Globe, and various other press reports since, we believe it is imperative that Representative Sherrill authorize the immediate release of all records related to her involvement in the 1994 United States Naval Academy cheating scandal.

 

By her own admission, Representative Sherrill was punished for her role in the scandal after denying it to the New Jersey Globe back in 2018. Given that, it is important for voters across New Jersey to know all the facts.  For example:

 

• What did Representative Sherrill tell investigators when they questioned her?
• What violations did Representative Sherrill ultimately commit?
• What was the full extent of Representative Sherrill’s punishment?

 

The only way that level of transparency can be achieved is for all of Representative Sherrill’s academic, disciplinary, and investigatory records to be made public – something only Representative Sherrill can authorize.  We call on her to do so immediately and without qualification.

 

If those sealed disciplinary records match Representative Sherrill’s current explanation, we are unsure why she would refuse to release the records and put this matter to rest.

It Certainly Makes Sense To Us . . .

 

Trump Moving To Broker Mideast Peace!

Today, President Donald J. Trump hosted a trilateral phone call with His Excellency Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and His Excellency Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani of Qatar. 

The President expressed his desire to put Israeli-Qatar relations on a positive track after years of mutual grievances and miscommunications.

The leaders accepted the president’s proposal to establish a trilateral mechanism to enhance coordination, improve communication, resolve mutual grievances, and strengthen collective efforts to prevent threats. They underscored their shared commitment to working together constructively and clearing away misperceptions, while building on the longstanding ties both have with the United States.

As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman.

He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.

Prime Minister Al Thani welcomed these assurances, emphasizing Qatar’s readiness to continue contributing meaningfully to regional security and stability. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed commitment to the same.  

The leaders discussed a proposal for ending the war in Gaza, prospects for a more secure Middle East, and the need for greater understanding between their countries.

President Trump praised both leaders for their willingness to take steps toward greater cooperation in the interest of peace and security for all.

We Can Make This Happen: Let's Get Started!

 

Transparent? Release The Records, Mikie!

Newly uncovered documents show Mikie Sherrill was tied to a cheating scandal—and she’s still refusing to release the records that would clear it up. If she’ll cover this up, what else would she cover up as Governor? #ReleaseTheRecords pic.twitter.com/SlhVR60hxc

— Jack Ciattarelli (@Jack4NJ) September 29, 2025

With Sherrill, It Just Gets Worse Every Day!

 NJ Dem gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill:

- Has been implicated in a Naval Academy honor violation. - Hid the details from voters. - Won’t release her Naval Academy disciplinary files. - Gave 2 of 5 coveted service academy slots to her own kids (they used her husband’s name).

From FDR To Trump: Making Celebrity Tenable

The Emergence of the Age of Celebrity . . . 

It's 2025 and in the most recent battle for the presidency we had a certified celebrity (and former president) running against a wannabe celebrity who launched a pop up campaign built around imagery, sloganeering and cosmetic promises.

And we also witnessed the routing of a sitting president, triggered in part by an op-ed penned by the celebrity pal of the victim's former running mate. And the running mate was apparently part of the scheme.

How did we get to this point? How did the Presidency of the United States become celebritized?  Because, make no mistake, that's where we're at -- and perhaps now more than ever. Because, love or hate him, President Trump, has shown that he uses the mass media with all the star quality, shock value, and stagecraft of the most seasoned celebrities.

Back to the beginning.

In the modern era of mass communication this all started with Franklin D. Roosevelt and the emergence of radio. In Roosevelt's day, radio was the most powerful medium imaginable. For the first time, the president could enter your living room and speak directly to you. You could hear his voice, live on the radio. His cadence, his tone, his feelings and his emotion became reachable, touchable, real. And FDR mastered the power of radio with his legendary fireside chats.

Radio is what they call a "hot" medium. It's intimate and engaging because it requires the listener to imagine the appearance, the movements and the mannerisms of the person whose voice comes through the speaker. FDR understood this and he tailored his messages warmly and informally as if he were having a conversation with one person, sitting right beside him.

Roosevelt also surrounded himself with famous friends. He welcomed the support of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, the most popular young movie stars of the era and he made sure to be seen not just with them but with the then reigning "King of Hollywood" Clark Gable as well as other stars of the 1930s and 40s. Roosevelt often colluded with the big Hollywood studio bosses and was regularly featured on the silver screen in the filmed Movietone News that was the in-theater precursor to television. FDR's face, his distinctive profile, his voice and his moving image were everywhere. He was the first celebrity president of the electronic age.

In the years that followed Roosevelt's death it was hard for any leader to match let alone eclipse his celebrity.  True, Harry Truman played the piano while Lauren Becall sat atop the spinet and swooned. And Ike brought an iconic smile and the first Madison Avenue produced TV spots to the presidency. But it wasn't until John F. Kennedy in 1960 that celebrity reached a new zenith in the oval office.

Few people recall that among his many other endeavors, Kennedy's millionaire dad, Joseph P. Kennedy was a Hollywood producer. The old man was determined that his strikingly handsome young son would become the leader of the free world. So John Fitzgerald  "Jack" Kennedy was given the moniker JFK and presented to the public via the best image-makers money could buy. He was dressed by the finest tailors, photographed by world renowned photographers, depicted in the most eye-appealing settings, seen with all the right people and armed with the words and witticisms of America's top speechwriters and wordsmiths. 

Just as FDR mastered radio, JFK was the first president to master  the world of television, a "cool" medium which perfectly suited Kennedy's magnetic presence. Of course, it helped that Jack Kennedy was also smart, charming and married to a beautiful, classy, worldly woman who gave birth to two adorable children. And it also helped that he hobnobbed with the likes of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack while she brought artists such as Pablo Casals into the White House to perform. They probably single handedly popularized the word glitterati. And all of this reached a dazzling crescendo on May 19. 1962 when Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" before a captivated crowd at Madison Square Garden. That was the night that celebrity and the presidency were as tightly bound as Marilyn and her dress. America was sumptuously seduced -- and that included the mainstream media which went so gaga over Kennedy that, even those who knew otherwise, fed the mammoth myth of JFK.

After that, it took another 20 years for America to crown its first genuine celebrity president by bringing an actual, verified, rock-solid Hollywood star into the White House. And, as the late producer, director and actor John Houseman would say, Ronald Reagan "did it the old-fashioned way, he earned it." Reagan served eight tumultuous years as Governor of California and didn't win the White House until his second try when he was nearly 70 years-old.

By the time he became president Reagan had been a celebrity for nearly four decades. He was comfortable with fame and all its trappings. Indeed, for the better part of his life, that's all he knew. On top of that, he had already mastered radio (he was an announcer and a sportscaster) the movies (he appeared in more than 50 films and helmed the Screen Actors Guild) and television (he hosted and appeared in a top-rated TV series). This made Reagan a triple threat and established him as The Great Communicator. 

And let's not forget that First Lady Nancy Reagan had herself been an actress and had appeared on stage and in the movies. So, this pair needed little or no media training, that's for sure. And while Hollywood stars and other celebrities remained within their galaxy, the Reagans were mostly unfazed by Tinseltown's glitz and glamour. They'd been there, done that. And this is precisely what set them apart.

As they sat in front of the tube each evening and ate their dinner off of TV trays, Ronald and Nancy Reagan wore celebrity like a set of snuggly jammies. In the process, they gave celebrity the one thing it most sorely lacked -- credibility! Knowingly or not, they opened the door to the possibility of a President Donald J. Trump.

Like Reagan, Trump was a celebrity for many years before he sought the presidency. And like Reagan, he was (and is) comfortable with his own fame. Like Reagan he was successful in several other endeavors before he sought the White House. Like Reagan, Trump had also been a TV host and star of a top-rated show. And like Reagan, Trump had sought the presidency more than once. Beyond all that, both men have been the target of an assassin's bullet and both men survived.

The difference is this: Reagan's incandescent star quality and charisma made him always somewhat distant. Now, Donald Trump has taken the credibility that the Reagans gave celebrity and he's made it familiar and accessible.  He's the everyman "star" who speaks in terms that everyone can understand. He's not celluloid; he real. Trump's authenticity is on display 24/7 for everyone to see. And Trump has weaved all this into a powerful movement based on the sort of bedrock faith that creates an army of true believers. 

Not since FDR has America seen this sort of trust in a singular, vivid, distinctive personality. Not since JFK have we seen this sort of affection for an imperfect but nonetheless compelling public figure. And not since Reagan have we seen have this sort of adulation. 

Of course, between Reagan's departure from office in 1989 and the emergence of Trump in 2016 we did have the era of Barack Obama. But for all its flash and graphic messaging, Obama's presidency lacked the depth of Roosevelt, the panache of JFK, the comfort of Reagan or the daring of Trump. Indeed, while Obama wrote about audacity, President Trump continues to define it.

Where does all this leave us? Well, we now know that celebrity, embodied by the right personality, is more than skin deep. It's more than surface celebrity. It's powered by ideas, aspirations and character. It reaches us on a visceral level. And all this is part of its allure.

Now combine this with power -- real power, as in the Presidency of the United States -- and you have something that's transformative.

Bombshell Message From NYC Mayor Eric Adams

Only in America. Only in New York.
Thank you for making my story a reality. pic.twitter.com/efHuyBnITJ

— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) September 28, 2025

Not That We're Great Fans Of This Guy, But . . .

Watch Bill Maher try to wake Democrats up to reality:pic.twitter.com/Rkuj2N7knT

— MARK SIMONE (@MarkSimoneNY) September 28, 2025

Remember This When You Vote For Governor

 

From The President Of The United States . . .

 

Well, Joizee -- There's Nothing To Celebrate Here!

Way to go Progressives/Liberals/Democrats with being the absolute worst, by a landslide, in highest property taxes in the country https://t.co/gjQeqUnp2k pic.twitter.com/6DXyQJxErE

— Wake Up NJ 🇺🇸 New Jersey (@wakeupnj) September 27, 2025

The Facts Stand; Release The Records, Mikie!

Mikie Sherrill was barred from walking at her 1994 U.S. Naval Academy graduation due to a massive cheating scandal.. She claims punishment for refusing to report classmates. Yet, she refuses to release sealed records that could clarify her involvement.
If there's nothing to hide,… pic.twitter.com/ZOfYIAb4gQ

— Jack Ciattarelli (@Jack4NJ) September 27, 2025

WHY Was Sherrill BARRED From Graduation Event?

The following is a statement from New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and the Ciattarelli for Governor campaign regarding Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill’s direct involvement in the largest cheating and honor code scandal in the history of the United States Naval Academy. Also attached is the Ciattarelli campaign legal letter in response to the NARA archives FOIA. 

“Yesterday, when confronted with irrefutable evidence of her name not appearing in the 1994 US Naval Academy Commencement Ceremony program, Mikie Sherrill was forced to admit she was implicated and punished as part of the massive cheating and honor concept scandal that involved her graduating class, and has since tried to distract attention away from that fact with false accusations and half-truths about what amounts to a clerical error by the National Archives which they took responsibility for and apologized for publicly. 

The real issue at hand is exactly why Congresswoman Sherrill was barred from walking at her graduation? What specific honor concept violations was she punished for? How did Naval investigators determine her guilt? Did she lie to Naval investigators and how many times? What were those lies? The only way to determine any of these answers is through her authorizing full and immediate release of all academic, disciplinary, and investigatory records related to her time at the Academy and the scandal itself. The New Jersey and national press corps have an obligation to demand and pressure Congresswoman Sherrill – who recently pledged to run the most transparent government in state history -  to release her records so the truth can be known by all New Jerseyans.”  Those records include:

• Naval Inspector General (IG) Report (1993–1994) – interviews for Rebecca Michelle Sherrill related to the full investigation report from Vice Adm. T. Joseph Skolnick, plus any f indings related to Mikie related to the 1992 Electrical Engineering 331 exam.
• Honor Board Proceedings and Transcripts – include charges, pleas, and findings related to Rebecca Michelle Sherrill and the 1992 Electrical Engineering 331 exam.
• Disciplinary Action Records – the individual midshipman files with demerits, expulsion orders, or separation documents from Navy Secretary John H. Dalton (April 1994) – related to Rebecca Michelle Sherrill and the 1992 Electrical Engineering 331 exam.
• Academic Transcripts and Conduct Rolls – official transcripts or delinquency registers noting honor violations or class rank impacts – related to Rebecca Michelle Sherrill and the 1992 Electrical Engineering 331 exam.
• NCIS Investigation Files – the Naval Criminal Investigative Service reports into the U.S. Naval Academy’s December 1992 EE 331 exam which was provided to the U.S. Naval Academy – related to Rebecca Michelle Sherrill.
• The NCIS report titled “Interim Report for Briefing of Superintendent” dated January 18, 1993, and which was presented to between Adm. Lynch – related to Rebecca Michelle Sherrill.
• All records that mention Rebecca Michelle Sherrill held in the Nimitz Library’s collection/United States Naval Academy Special Collections Archive, Office of the Commandant/General Records: Conduct and Honor Records, 1918-2011, Series 6: Records relating to the 1992 Electrical Engineering Cheating Scandal, 1992-1994, Boxes 17-18.
• Any correspondence in support of implicated midshipmen from interested individuals, parents, and members of Congress mentioning or referencing Rebecca Michelle Sherrill. 

Response to the Sherrill Campaign

So Who REALLY Incited Violence . . . Huh?

Here’s over 7 minutes of Democrats at the federal, state, and local levels inciting violence against ICE.

The Democrat Party is actively putting law enforcement in danger. pic.twitter.com/2Evu8ngoPn

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 26, 2025

This Just Went From Bad To MUCH WORSE!

 And she STILL won't release the records!

Ciattarelli Gets To The Essence Of The Issue!

🚨 If Mikie Sherrill will cover for cheaters in the Naval Academy, she’ll cover for cheaters in Trenton. 🚨@Jack4NJ demands transparency. Why was Sherrill barred from walking at her graduation? “Approve the release of your disciplinary records!” pic.twitter.com/cC05qn9g2P

— Rich Zeoli 🇺🇸 (@Richzeoli) September 26, 2025

'Transparent' But Won't Release Her Reords!

 

A Beautiful New Song From John Schneider

And Now The President Has Chimed In!

 

Bombshell #2: NJ Governor's Race Now TIED!

NEW JERSEY POLL - Governor 

Mikie Sherrill: 43% Jack Ciattarelli: 43% Other: 3% Not sure: 11% Emerson (A) | 9/22-23 | 935 LV https://emersoncollegepolling.com/new-jersey-202

5-poll/

For Sherrill, This Does NOT Look Good!

Breaking: Mikie Sherrill was prohibited from walking with her class at the U.S. Naval Academy commencement ceremony in 1994 as a punishment connected to a cheating scandal that implicated about 130 midshipmen in her class.

Bombshell: Sherrill 'Implicated' In Cheating Scandal

Today's admission by Congresswoman Sherrill that she was implicated in, and punished for, her involvement in the largest cheating and honor code scandal in the history of the United States Navy is both stunning and deeply disturbing.

For eight years, Mikie Sherrill has built… https://t.co/419N9jpFss

— Jack Ciattarelli (@Jack4NJ) September 25, 2025

NO! Jack DOES NOT Favor A 10% Sales Tax!

 From Liberty & Prosperity:

Last June, Jack was asked about taxes in other states at a Town Hall Meeting in Hasbrouck Heights. He explained that while some states have no income tax, they have high sales taxes. He mentioned that Tennessee had a 10% tax on everything, including food and clothing. Jack NEVER said he wanted that kind of sales tax in New Jersey. Democrat Sherrill is lying in those TV ads! Jack is an accountant. He gets asked questions like that all the time. He knows the facts and gives straight answers.

Protecting American Jobs For EVERYONE!

PROTECTING AMERICAN JOBS: Last week, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation to restrict the entry into the United States of certain H-1B aliens as nonimmigrant workers, requiring a $100,000 payment to accompany or supplement H-1B petitions for new applications to curb abuses that displace U.S. workers and undermine national security.

• The Proclamation restricts entry for aliens as nonimmigrants to perform services in specialty occupations in the H-1B program unless their petition is accompanied by a $100,000 payment.
• It directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to restrict approvals for petitions from aliens that are currently outside the United States that are not accompanied by the payment, and allows case-by-case exemptions if in the national interest.
• The Proclamation requires employers to retain documentation of payment remittance, with the Secretary of State verifying payment during the petition process and the Departments of State and Homeland Security denying entry for non-payment for the relevant aliens and taking other relevant steps needed to implement the Proclamation.
• It requires the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to issue joint guidance for verification, enforcement, audits, and penalties.
• The Proclamation directs the Secretary of Labor to initiative rulemaking to revise the prevailing wage levels for the H-1B program and directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to initiate rulemaking to prioritize high-skilled, high-paid H-1B workers.

 
COMBATING H-1B ABUSES: American workers are being replaced with lower-paid foreign labor, creating an economic and national security threat to the nation.

• The share of IT workers with H-1B visas has risen from 32% in FY 2003 to over 65% in recent years.
• Unemployment among recent computer science graduates has reached 6.1% and 7.5% for computer engineering graduates — more than double the rates for biology or art history majors. The number of foreign STEM workers in the United States has more than doubled between 2000 and 2019, while overall STEM employment only increased 44.5% during that time.
• American companies are laying off their American technology workers and seemingly replacing them with H-1B workers:
  • One company was approved for 5,189 H-1B workers in FY 2025, while laying off roughly 16,000 U.S. employees this year.
  • Another company was approved for 1,698 H-1B workers in FY 2025, yet announced it was laying off 2,400 U.S. workers in Oregon in July.
  • A third company has reduced its U.S. workforce by 27,000 since 2022 while receiving 25,075 H-1B approvals.
  • Yet another company reportedly cut 1,000 American jobs in February despite receiving 1,137 H-1B approvals for FY 2025.
• American IT workers have even been reportedly forced to train their foreign replacements under nondisclosure agreements.
• The H-1B program is creating disincentives for future American workers to choose STEM careers, which threatens our national security.
• President Trump is imposing higher costs on companies seeking to use the H-1B program in order to address the abuse of the program, stop the undercutting of wages, and protect our national security.

 
PRIORITIZING AMERICAN WORKERS: Voters gave President Trump a resounding mandate to put American workers first, and he has worked every day to deliver on that commitment.

• President Trump has aggressively and successfully negotiated new trade deals to bring manufacturing jobs back home and attract new investments to the U.S.
• President Trump is using tariffs as a strategic tool to rebuild American manufacturing, secure our supply chains, and protect U.S. national security.
  • President Trump has implemented several Section 232 tariffs to protect manufacturing that has been undermined by unfair trade practices and global excess capacity.
• Since President Trump returned to office, all employment gains have gone to American-born workers—unlike last year during the same period under President Biden, when all employment gains went to foreign-born workers.
• The Trump Administration issued new guidance to ensure illegal aliens are not allowed access to federal workforce development resources and related grants, protecting job trainings for American workers.

The Legacy Of Charlie Kirk Lives On!

On Sunday, President Donald J. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and numerous Administration officials gathered with tens of thousands of American Patriots at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, to celebrate the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. It was a celebration of Charlie Kirk’s extraordinary life — ensuring his message of hope, reason, and righteousness endures as a beacon for generations.

The Administration — including President Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and White House Office of Presidential Personnel Director Sergio Gor — shared stirring testimonies of Kirk’s role as a leader, mentor, and motivator who didn't just debate ideas, but ignited souls and forged a movement that now stands stronger than ever. Here are key moments from President Trump’s remarks: “Charles James Kirk was heinously murdered by a radicalized, cold-blooded monster for speaking the truth that was in his heart. He was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice, for God and country, for reason and for common sense. He was assassinated because he lived bravely, he led boldly, and he argued brilliantly — without apology… On that terrible day, September 10th, 2025, our greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal. He’s a martyr now for American freedom.” (Watch)   “Through it all, the core of Charlie’s message and his basic method never changed... At every campus event, Charlie asked the people who disagreed with him to come forward — and instead of silencing them, he handed them a microphone and let them speak.” (Watch)   “Shortly before Charlie arrived on campus the day he was assassinated, a staff member texted him that there were many critics and students who were opposed his views... Charlie wrote back to the staff member saying, ‘I’m not here to fight them. I want them to know them and love them and I want to reach them and try and lead them into a great way of life in our country.’ In that private moment on his dying day, we find everything we need to know about who Charlie Kirk truly was.” (Watch)   “The radicals and their allies in the media — sometimes referred to, as my son said, the Fake News Media — tried to silence Charlie for a simple reason: because he was winning, and he was winning big... They lied about him because they did not want you to listen to him or learn from him. (Watch)   “Every single American should take a long, hard look at the twisted soul and dark spirit of anyone who would want to kill a young man as good as Charlie Kirk — to kill anybody, but to kill a man like this… and anyone who would make excuses for it.” (Watch)   “Charlie’s murder was not just an attack on one man or one movement — it was an attack on our entire nation… It was an assault on our most sacred liberties and God-given rights. The gun was pointed at him, but the bullet was aimed at all of us… Indeed, Charlie was killed for expressing the very ideas that virtually everyone in this arena, and most other places throughout our country, deeply belief in. But the assassin failed in his quest — because Charlie’s message has not been silenced, it now is bigger and better and stronger than ever before, and it’s not even close.” (Watch)   “Some of the very same people who spent the last eight years trying to sit in moral judgment of anyone who disagreed with them about politics suddenly started cheering for murder… Some of the very people who call you a ‘hater’ for using the wrong pronoun were filled with glee at the killing of a father with two young children, and the same commentators who this week are screaming ‘fascism’ over a canceled late-night TV show, where the anchor had no talent or no ratings, last week were implying that Charlie Kirk deserved what happened to him.” (Watch)   “No side in American politics has a monopoly on disturbed or misguided people, but there’s one part of our political community which believes they have a monopoly on truth, goodness, and virtue — and concludes they have also have a monopoly on power, thought, and speech… Tragically, atrocities of this kind we saw in Utah of all places are the eventual consequence of that kind of thinking. If speech is violence, then some are bound to conclude that violence is justified to stop speech.”  (Watch)   “The tradition of reason and open debate that Charlie practiced is not a pillar of our democracy; in many ways it’s the basis of our entire society... We will defend it at all costs and we will carry forward the torch of liberty that Charlie Kirk held so proud and so high.” (Watch)   “Perhaps it should be no surprise that Charlie, who spent his life speaking with the critics of these traditions, ultimately became convinced that we needed not just a political re-alignment, but also a spiritual reawakening… He would have been so pleased to hear his friends and colleagues today giving testimony and giving glory to God.” (Watch)   “The lesson of Charlie’s life is that you should never underestimate what one person can do with a good heart, a righteous cause, a cheerful spirit, and the will to fight, fight, fight… Charlie Kirk started with only an idea to change minds on college campuses and instead he ended up with a far greater achievement — changing history.” (Watch)