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At CPAC, we are committed to preserving freedom, upholding its vision, and leading its efforts. That is why we invite you to join the CPAC Circle, an exclusive community of patriots whose dedication feeds the fire of the conservative movement and upholds liberty for future generations. By joining as a Circle Member, you become part of a global community of conservatives dedicated to safeguarding our shared values. As a CPAC Circle Member, you support the world's most influential gathering of conservatives, ensuring that liberty, faith, patriotism, and opportunity continue to thrive in America and around the world. CPAC Circle Members are the cornerstone of CPAC's mission to advocate for individual freedoms, oppose the growing influence of globalism and communism, and challenge radical leftist ideologies. Your Membership Matters. Each CPAC Circle Member is connected to a global network of conservative leaders, advocates, and grassroots activists who share a passionate commitment to liberty. With your support, CPAC continues to organize conferences worldwide. In 2025 alone, you brought us to Poland, Hungary, Paraguay, and Australia, and more. Your support gives a voice to figures who courageously fight to defeat tyranny while advancing conservative principles in their own countries. Circle Members also help sustain CPAC’s dedicated centers and coalitions, including: Iranians in Exile Coalition , which amplifies the voices of those resisting the Ayatollah’s oppressive regime Christian Persecution Coalition , which fights for the millions around the world who face violence for practicing their faith The Center for Regulatory Freedom , which advances policies that restore prosperity by trimming regulations The Center for Combating Human Trafficking , which held an informative summit on Capitol Hill this past July, protects the vulnerable and ensures justice for adult and child victims of modern-day slavery Your commitment empowers CPAC to fight unwaveringly against the radical left’s destructive agenda and to promote freedom worldwide. Exclusive Community, Shared Mission As a Circle Member, you will also gain access to exclusive, one-of-a-kind opportunities, including substantive briefings, limited-number invitations to special events, and direct interaction with today’s most influential conservative leaders shaping the future. You will be at the heart of our movement, connected to others who share your belief that America’s best days lie ahead. Membership Levels Circle Membership is available at seven levels, each honoring leaders who embodied CPAC’s spirit of patriotism and freedom: Margaret Thatcher Circle  – $2,500 Benjamin Franklin Circle  – $5,000 James Madison Circle  – $10,000 Thomas Jefferson Circle  – $25,000 Betsy Ross Circle  – $50,000 George Washington Circle  – $75,000 Chairman Circle  – $150,000 Every level of support fortifies CPAC’s ability to defend liberty at home and abroad. The   radical left will not relent in its push for globalism, division, and control. Together, conservatives can stand strong. By joining the CPAC Circle, you become a guardian of freedom and a builder of America’s future. Join today at CPAC.org/circle and take your place in the circle of leaders shaping tomorrow.

As Bitcoin and digital assets become a permanent feature of the global economy, the United States stands at a crossroads. How we choose to regulate cryptocurrency will determine whether America leads the next era of financial innovation, or cedes that leadership to less free, less transparent policies. Bitcoin embodies conservative values: self-reliance, personal responsibility, and economic freedom. Yet, the regulatory patchwork currently governing it reflects uncertainty rather than confidence, a tangle of agencies and overlapping mandates that risk stifling innovation while doing little to strengthen trust. Today, five major federal agencies claim a role in crypto oversight. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) enforces anti–money laundering compliance; the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) treats some digital assets as securities, depending on how they are sold; the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) classifies Bitcoin as a commodity; the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxes it as property; and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) screens it under sanctions law. The result is regulatory fragmentation, and a constant tension between innovation and enforcement. However, 2025 has begun to bring clarity: the GENIUS Act, signed into law in July, created the first national framework for stablecoins, while President Trump’s executive order establishing a federal Bitcoin reserve signaled a historic recognition of digital assets as part of U.S. economic strategy. A conservative approach to regulation seeks to build on this progress by emphasizing clarity without control. Markets, not bureaucracies, should drive innovation, but markets also need fair rules and accountability. Smart policy means protecting investors from fraud and ensuring compliance with laws like the Bank Secrecy Act, without imposing a centralized licensing regime that undermines freedom. By applying existing, time-tested laws, rather than creating new layers of oversight, policymakers can strike the right balance between security and liberty. Excessive regulation risks driving innovation offshore to nations like Singapore and the UAE, while measured, principle-based oversight can cement the United States as the global home of responsible financial freedom. Globally, the stakes are high. The European Union’s MiCA framework, Japan’s pragmatic licensing system, and China’s authoritarian crypto bans illustrate competing visions of financial order. America must chart its own course, one that aligns with its founding principles. The conservative goal is not to control Bitcoin, but to ensure that American innovation, not foreign bureaucracy, defines its future. By pursuing regulatory restraint, defending individual ownership, and promoting transparency through market discipline, the U.S. can secure both its monetary sovereignty and moral leadership in the digital age. Bitcoin’s promise lies not in replacing the dollar, but in reinforcing the values that make the dollar, and America, strong.

Human trafficking survivors face one of the hardest transitions imaginable—from exploitation and trauma to rebuilding lives of safety and independence. Survivor safe houses and restorative care programs play a vital role in this journey, providing the essential bridge between crisis intervention and long-term recovery. While emergency shelters meet immediate safety needs, long-term restorative care homes, such as those operated by Free Forever–Latisha’s House Foundation, focus on trauma-informed healing, education, and life skills development that restore dignity and self-sufficiency. Yet across the United States, these programs operate without consistent funding or a national framework to ensure every survivor receives comprehensive support. To truly break the cycle of trafficking, the nation must invest not only in rescue but also in reintegration. One of the greatest challenges facing survivor care programs is the lack of sustainable funding. Most restorative care homes rely heavily on private donations and small grants, which leads to instability and limits capacity. Without federal or state-level funding mechanisms, too many women are turned away due to limited resources. Compounding this problem is the fragmented system of care that exists between law enforcement, rescues, emergency shelters, and long-term rehabilitation. Many survivors are referred to shelters unprepared to meet their complex needs, leaving them vulnerable to retrafficking or homelessness. Furthermore, there are significant data and workforce gaps. Few programs collect measurable reintegration outcomes or track long-term success, hindering evidence-based policymaking and limiting recognition of best practices that could guide the broader system. To address these challenges, the United States must establish dedicated federal and state funding streams specifically for long-term restorative care. A national program housed under the Department of Justice or the Department of Health and Human Services would provide stable resources to ensure consistent, high-quality care across all regions. Free Forever–Latisha’s House Foundation provides a powerful example of what such investment can achieve—it has served more than 2,000 women since 2013, helping survivors reintegrate successfully despite operating solely on private funding. Alongside funding, a national framework for survivor reintegration should be developed, setting clear standards for trauma-informed care, education, and job readiness. Programs such as The Freedom Project demonstrate the effectiveness of integrated approaches that combine counseling, housing, and life skills training to help women achieve sustainable independence. Robust data collection must also become a national priority. By partnering with restorative care homes to track outcomes like employment, housing stability, and educational advancement, policymakers can make informed decisions and replicate what works. Reliable data would strengthen the justification for funding and allow for the creation of nationwide reintegration benchmarks. Congress should act to pass legislation establishing dedicated funding for restorative care and directing the Office for Victims of Crime to prioritize these models in funding allocations. Partnerships between housing authorities and restorative care providers should also be encouraged to expand access to transitional housing, job readiness programs, and long-term support systems that empower survivors to rebuild their lives. Now is the time to act. The rise in trafficking cases—driven by digital exploitation and post-pandemic vulnerabilities—demands scalable, trauma-informed solutions. Fewer than 100 long-term care homes exist nationwide, and recidivism rates remain alarmingly high among survivors discharged from short-term shelters without adequate rehabilitation. Survivor safe houses are not acts of charity; they are the foundation of true justice. When survivors receive comprehensive, restorative care, they regain their dignity, rebuild their confidence, and become empowered contributors to their communities. By investing in survivor rehabilitation, research, and reintegration frameworks, America can move from temporary rescue to lasting recovery—breaking the cycle of exploitation once and for all.

The theme of “affordability” has dominated the media cycle in recent weeks, becoming a central rallying cry for Democrats as they work to attack President Trump’s handling of the economy. Their message focuses heavily on the claim that Americans are struggling under the weight of the cost-of-living and that President Trump is failing to address the nation’s economic challenges. CPAC Senior Fellow Mercedes Schlapp pushed back on this narrative, appearing on The Right Squad on Newsmax, arguing that the root cause of today’s affordability crisis lies in the policies of the previous Biden Administration. She pointed to the inflation surge, higher interest rates, and the elevated cost of living that took hold during Biden’s term, stressing that the Trump Administration inherited an economy weakened by years of fiscal mismanagement. Schlapp emphasized that reversing those policies and restoring economic stability will require time, but she noted that the administration remains committed to doing exactly that. Schlapp brought attention to the plights of many "Gen Z" young adults, a demographic entering the workforce but encountering unprecedented financial obstacles. Many of these young Americans are eager to settle into careers, build savings, and transition into homeownership and independence, yet they find themselves facing steep housing prices, high mortgage rates, and wages that have not kept pace with inflation. Schlapp pointed to these trends as clear evidence of how damaging Biden-era policies are to young professionals trying to establish long-term stability. Schlapp highlighted that the Biden Administration oversaw inflation that climbed as high as nine percent — a burden that Americans are still working to recover from. “We are dealing with trying to come down and survive from this 9% inflation, brought upon us by, yes, Joe Biden and their reckless economic policies. It’s going to take time to right the ship,” she said. Her message underscored the challenges ahead: stabilizing the economy, lowering costs, and restoring affordability will require a deliberate and sustained effort. Schlapp maintained that the Trump Administration is focused on implementing policies to ease the financial strain on families, support job growth, and strengthen economic opportunities for Americans of all ages.

This week, the Center for Regulatory Freedom (CRF) filed comments supporting the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed rescission of the 2024 Conservation and Landscape Health Rule—a sweeping regulation issued in the final year of the Biden Administration that prioritized permanent conservation over the productive use of America’s public lands. Far from a routine policy reversal, the BLM’s action represents a long-overdue restoration of statutory fidelity to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). For decades, federal land administrators have drifted from FLPMA’s clear multiple-use and sustained-yield mandate, gradually transforming public lands from national assets intended for active management and responsible development into de facto wilderness preserves managed according to shifting ideological priorities. The 2024 rule was the culmination of that drift, elevating “conservation” as an eleventh “use” equal to—or in practice superior to—grazing, mining, energy production, recreation, and timber harvesting, which sidelines the local communities and industries that depend on access to these vital resources. The Center for Regulatory Freedom emphasized in its comments that rescinding the rule is legally mandated. By inverting FLPMA’s historical “duty to dispose” of federal lands and treating them instead as a permanent federal estate, regulators opened the door to endless bureaucratic re-purposing under the banner of vague, ever-expanding, ideologically charged conservation goals. The rescission reins in that overreach, reaffirms the multiple-use framework, and returns decision-making authority to a balanced, transparent, and statutorily grounded process. America’s public lands belong to all Americans—not to unelected agency ideologues—and their management must serve the broad public interest rather than narrow conservationist agendas. The Bureau’s proposed action is an essential step toward accountable, lawful federal land management that honors both our natural heritage and our nation’s need for responsible resource utilization.

Action inspires action, and all it takes is for someone to play their next best hand before everyone lays their cards on the table. Stopping the Allied Designated Forces (ADF) requires definitive, comprehensive action from Washington policymakers and international partners, but what does moving forward look like?   Three indispensable steps must be taken to abolish the ADF and restore stability and security in Central Africa and its Christian communities.   First, Congress must mandate the State Department to formally designate the ADF a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This would unlock critical sanctions and counterterrorism resources, thereby freezing the ADF’s assets and cutting off the funding that fuels their campaign of terror. This action lets the ADF know that the full weight of U.S. counterterrorism resources is now directed at dismantling their networks, with the international community hopefully matching this resolve.   Second, the Executive Branch should appoint a U.S. Special Envoy for Religious Freedom in Central Africa. A distinctly dedicated envoy would coordinate international responses and establish sustained diplomatic engagement, keeping pressure on the ADF and ensuring persecuted Christians are not forgotten. Specific measures to address religious persecution keep the ADF under a microscope, amplifying every crime they commit and stripping away their ability to operate in silence. This move signals that religious freedom in the DRC is central to U.S. foreign policy and will not be dismissed lightly, challenging allies to prioritize the issue as well.   Third, member states must convene an emergency session of the UN Security Council to push for the authorization of a stabilization force. A coordinated regional force, with the necessary mandate and resources to act, can better contain the ADF’s expansion and restore security in affected areas. Deploying an UN-backed, multinational force with resources and legitimacy puts combative pressure on the ADF, which has primarily dealt with a fractured national army, not a task force designated to their abolishment. International unity establishes Christian persecution in the DRC as a global problem that requires a decisive, collaborative effort to stop genocide in real time. Christians in the DRC are running out of time. Each day of dormancy allows the ADF to increase its dominance over the Congo’s mineral-rich territories, deepen its connection with ISIS, and recruit even more innocent child soldiers. With the United States’ legislative leadership, the world can come together and prepare to confront the ADF directly. A test of morale and strategy, world leaders must ask themselves: Will we stand by while Christians are senselessly murdered in Central Africa, or will we act with courage and resolve to defeat this genocide?

The CPAC Circle Retreat and Gala opened last week, on November 5th at the Mar-a-Lago Club, with a unified mission: to sustain conservatives’ success over the past year under the Trump Administration and chart a path forward in combating the Democratic Party’s increasingly radical shift toward socialism. The first day of this historic gathering brought together several influential conservative leaders, including President Donald Trump, former RNC Co-Chair Lara Trump, and U.S. Senate candidates Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia and Michael Whatley of North Carolina. The speakers reflected on the victories achieved for the American people since the previous year’s election, while warning that socialism and the far left remain a serious threat. Their message was clear: conservatives must stand united to secure an America First future. In a phone call with CPAC supporters, President Donald J. Trump congratulated CPAC on its continued success in advancing America First principles and urged conservatives to stay united to continue the fight for America’s future. The President reflected, “CPAC has been with me really from the beginning. I sort of started with CPAC. Matt and Mercedes have done a fantastic job.” President Trump emphasized how his Administration rebuilt American strength through energy independence, secure borders, and economic revitalization, highlighting the critical role of conservative leadership in restoring national pride and protecting the rights of working Americans. He also underscored the importance of engaging with other nations through trade and diplomacy, referencing his recent meetings with world leaders in Egypt and South Korea. Trump’s message was one of action and resolve, reminding conservatives that the victories achieved under his leadership were not the finish line but the foundation for the next great chapter in America’s comeback. Lara Trump, former Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee, centered her remarks on harnessing the grassroots strategy that succeeded in 2024 for the upcoming 2026 elections. Speaking the day after the 2025 election results, she reminded attendees that conservatives’ work “is far from done,” pointing to electoral victories by far-left governors and a self-proclaimed democratic socialist. “I think we all saw yesterday, with the races we were watching, that our work is far from done—that we have one year to ensure that the midterm elections go the right way,” said Trump. Trump emphasized that the Democratic Party is becoming increasingly radical and stressed that conservatives must rise to meet the challenge. To continue the momentum of the Make America Great Again movement, Trump urged conservatives to engage new voters, protect election integrity, and ensure that the conservative message continues to resonate across communities nationwide. Two 2026 Senate candidates, Congressman Mike Collins of Georgia and former RNC Chair Michael Whatley of North Carolina, reinforced this message later in the day. Georgia and North Carolina stand at the forefront of America’s political fight as key battleground states. Collins, who represents Georgia’s 10th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, has been unapologetically loyal to President Donald Trump and the America First movement, proudly declaring himself the only Republican primary candidate who has stood with Trump from the very beginning. Instead of focusing on attacking each other, Collins called on Republicans to focus on campaigning against Democrats. “We need to go ahead and unite and consolidate this field and get behind one candidate. I don’t understand this business strategy where we beat on each other for 10 or 11 months, then we come out broken, battered, and bruised—and then we go and take on a Democrat for five months,” said Collins. He called on conservatives to put aside differences and unite behind strong, proven leadership that will defend the nation’s borders, strengthen the economy, and restore the rule of law. Despite an ever more radical Democratic Party, Collins argued that through fiscal discipline, deregulation, and support for American manufacturing, the U.S. can reclaim its prosperity and independence. In North Carolina, Michael Whatley, a fellow U.S. Senate candidate, echoed that same message of unity and discipline, urging conservatives to strengthen party organization, protect elections, and promote a policy agenda rooted in freedom, prosperity, and accountability. Whatley encouraged conservatives to focus on the issues that matter to Americans—such as border security, economic prosperity, and restoring America’s standing in the world. Whatley reflected on last year’s election victory and the need to maintain that momentum heading into the 2026 midterms by focusing on the issues that voters care about: “It is good to be back here in Mar-a-Lago one year exactly after we were here celebrating President Trump’s big win, and it is from here, in one year exactly, that we will be having our general election. We need to make sure we are always positive, that we are all gas, no brake, and that we are talking about the issues that the voters care about. That’s how President Trump won.” Together, Collins and Whatley represent the new generation of America First leadership, determined to stand as a bulwark against a Democratic Party that has abandoned America for Marxism, pushing policies that trade freedom for control and prosperity for dependence. Their campaigns are not simply about two Senate seats; they symbolize a broader movement to unite conservatives, confront the ever more radical left, and preserve the values that have defined this nation for generations. The historic CPAC Circle Retreat and Gala at Mar-a-Lago is a reminder that the conservative movement’s mission is far from over—it’s only just beginning. From President Trump’s call to continue the fight and Lara Trump’s focus on grassroots organization to the powerful leadership of Senate candidates Mike Collins in Georgia and Michael Whatley in North Carolina, the message is clear: America First is the path forward. As the Democratic Party drifts further toward radicalism and socialism, conservatives must rally behind leaders who will defend our borders, protect our freedoms, and restore American strength. The victories of 2024 were not an endpoint—they were the starting line for 2026 and beyond. Now is the time to unite, mobilize, and fight for the future of our nation. When conservatives stand together with courage and conviction, America wins.

America’s child welfare system is failing on a catastrophic scale, but the good news is that the path forward is clear, proven, and ready to implement right now. By combining strategic deregulation, mandatory adoption of modern real-time tracking technology, and an aggressive focus on placing children in stable, loving homes, the gaps that traffickers exploit can be closed and dramatically improve outcomes for the 360,000 children in foster care. The tools exist, the research is conclusive, and the political will to fight for victims is finally aligned under an administration committed to efficiency and results. What has been missing is decisive action—this is the moment to deliver it. The policy roadmap is straightforward and urgent. President Trump made history on November 13th by signing the Executive Order on "Fostering the Future for American Children and Families", and launching the "Fostering the Future" initiative led by First Lady Melania Trump. This is a major step in protecting children by closing loopholes in the foster care system and elevating youth transitioning out of the system through scholarships and educational opportunities. The Trump Administration has been revolutionary in addressing the exploitation of children in foster care, and more agencies and organizations should follow the President and First Lady's lead. For example, the Secretary of Health and Human Services should use targeted deregulation to remove outdated rules that block innovation and issue a superseding rule requiring real-time reporting and data sharing nationwide. Congress must then codify these reforms into law by 2027 at the latest. With more than $7 billion spent annually on a broken system and a historic initiative focused on government efficiency under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there is no excuse for further delay. The heart of the solution lies in a single, nationwide, real-time data platform: the HMK Interactive Statewide Integrated Information System (SIIS). This secure, cloud-based system would replace the current patchwork of incompatible state and county databases and end the two-year reporting lag that leaves children invisible. Caseworkers would have instant access to a child’s full history, no matter where they move; intelligent matching would dramatically improve placement quality, and runaway or missing-child alerts would trigger immediately. Research already proves the impact: children with only one caseworker have a 74% chance of permanent placement, compared to just 5% for those with three or more. A unified tech backbone works to close the pipeline, keeps children visible to authorities, and slams the door on traffickers who thrive on chaos and delay in reporting. Stable, loving homes are the most powerful anti-trafficking measure. When children grow up in secure families instead of drifting through group or temporary homes, their risk of exploitation plummets. Runaways—by far the most vulnerable—are trafficked within 24–48 hours of leaving care, and 95% of domestic sex trafficking now begins on social media and gaming platforms that predators use to groom isolated kids. By using real-time data to speed up adoptions (projected 25% increase) and shift an additional 20% of children into proven house-parent models, we can move nearly half of all foster youth into environments where they are loved, monitored, and safe. Strengthening families isn’t just compassionate—it is the single most effective way to protect children from predators. America has spent decades and billions of dollars managing foster-care failure instead of fixing it. The result: tens of thousands of children vanish every year, and 60% of rescued trafficking victims come from the very system meant to protect them. But the collapse of the foster care collapse can be reversed. A unified real-time technology platform, smarter placements into permanent loving families, and decisive executive and legislative action can transform foster care from a national disgrace into a national success story. Under an America First agenda, protecting our own vulnerable children is not optional—it is the most urgent domestic priority we have. Lawmakers must act immediately to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected and that human traffickers are held accountable.

President of Argentina Javier Milei's November 6 address at the CPAC Retreat and Gala at the Mar-a-Lago Club delivered a stark warning to the United States: the radical socialism that nearly destroyed Argentina is now emerging inside an increasingly extreme Democratic Party. Milei celebrated his midterm victory as proof that voters endorsed a course correction away from collectivism. In this victory, his once-marginal ideas were validated at the ballot box, and he presented Argentina's dramatic turnaround as evidence of what’s at stake when a nation chooses liberty over collectivism. Drawing from his experience confronting a century of socialist decline, he warned that America now faces similar dangers as Democrats mirror Argentina's past mistakes—electing a self-proclaimed democratic socialist in New York City and other leftists in Virginia and New Jersey. Throughout his remarks, Milei emphasized the principles he believes rescued Argentina and could protect the United States from following the same path, urging Americans to recognize the warning signs and combat the growing trend toward socialism. Milei’s case for capitalism rested on the moral sovereignty of the individual. “To be free is to dispose freely of our time in life to work or to do what we wish,” he said, adding that “as owners of our work, by definition, we also own the fruit of that work, which is nothing other than private property.” Citing Spanish economist Jesús Huerta de Soto, he argued that justice and efficiency are inseparable and underscored capitalism's historic achievement of lifting more than 90 percent of the global population out of poverty over the past 200 years, a result he attributed to its strong moral foundations. By contrast, he argued that collectivism justifies theft from some to benefit others in power, which inevitably leads to economic downturns and capital flight—consequences he warned Americans must recognize and avoid. Argentina followed the path of collectivism for 100 years and was brought to the brink of collapse. Milei explained that his government has spent the last two years preventing the nation from falling off a cliff and would now use its new congressional majority to advance the most ambitious reform process in Argentine history. He contrasted these reforms with what he described as the Democrats' growing acceptance of ideas that have weakened nations elsewhere, arguing that similar rhetoric had long been deployed in Cuba and Venezuela under the guise of expanding government programs and the welfare state. Milei also emphasized the political impact of economic prosperity, noting that “each percentage point of GDP growth will mean lower utility rates, tens of thousands fewer poor people, and tens of thousands fewer votes for the left.” Having reversed Argentina's decline, he framed his nation’s resurgence as both a national revival and a warning to Americans to recognize these patterns before they become irreversible. Milei positioned Argentina’s recovery as a direct lesson for the United States, whose left wing has become increasingly radical, adopting democratic socialism. Argentina’s turnaround demonstrated how quickly a nation can reverse decline when it rejects collectivism and embraces economic freedom, cultural unity, and limited government. The United States now faces similar ideological pressures. Argentina’s experience underscored the importance of defending liberty, economic prosperity, and resisting policies that weaken individual rights—principles Americans must uphold to avoid repeating the failures that nearly brought Argentina to collapse. Milei ended by urging Americans to remain engaged in the struggle for the values that allow free societies to thrive and to move forward with the same determination that enabled Argentina to pull back from the edge and reclaim its future. Argentina and Milei's story stands as both a warning and a reason for hope for Americans. Though the Left is relentless, a country can come back from the brink, champion freedom, and rediscover prosperity.

Today, President Trump signed a new Executive Order focused on strengthening the nation’s foster care system, an action that carries profound importance for every child who has faced instability, neglect, or abuse during their formative years. For those of us at CPAC’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking this initiative represents more than just an administrative step forward – it’s a critical opportunity to safeguard children who are among the most at risk of falling prey to human traffickers. Across the country, the foster care system is stretched thin. Caseworkers are overburdened, placements are often temporary, and resources for mental health and long-term stability are limited. Too many children age out of the system without the tools or support they need to thrive. Tragically, the consequences are not abstract. Studies have consistently shown that   a disproportionate number of human trafficking victims have spent time in foster care . The vulnerabilities created by instability factors such as a lack of a permanent home, absence of trusted adults, and emotional trauma make these victims ripe for exploitation. That is why this Executive Order matters. It will direct new attention and resources to improving coordination between   federal, state, and local partner s including both government agencies and private organizations. It also takes steps to ensure that child welfare agencies have the training, data, and community support necessary to intervene early and effectively. It will also empower frontline professionals including social workers, law enforcement, and nonprofit providers to share information and best practices that can help prevent children from falling through the cracks. For CPAC’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking, our mission has always been rooted in advancing policies that defend the dignity and safety of every child. Reforming foster care is not just a social service issue; it’s a public safety and human rights issue. By addressing the systemic weaknesses that traffickers exploit, we can dramatically reduce the pipeline of vulnerable youth who are targeted for exploitation. When America’s foster youth succeed, human traffickers lose. That’s why this moment should be met not with politics, but with purpose. Together, we can ensure that every child in the foster care system is seen, protected, and given the chance to flourish.

America’s foster care system, intended to be a safe haven for abused and neglected children, has instead become one of the most notorious recruiting grounds for child sex traffickers. Every year, more than 20,000 children go missing from the roughly 360,000 in formal foster care, with potentially hundreds of thousands more unaccounted for when “hidden” foster care arrangements are included. Disturbingly, 60% of child sex trafficking victims rescued in the United States have a documented history in the child welfare system. This abuse is not a coincidence; it is the direct result of a broken, fragmented, and technologically obsolete system that loses track of the very children it is charged to protect. Along with the attention that has rightly been given to trafficking across the southern border, we cannot ignore the domestic pipeline that operates inside our own child welfare agencies. The core of the problem lies in America’s patchwork child welfare infrastructure. Each state, and often each county, runs its own separate case-management system with little to no interoperability. When a child moves across county or state lines, critical information about prior abuse, trafficking risk flags, or medical needs frequently disappears, making the child appear “new” to the receiving jurisdiction. Caseworkers drown in redundant paperwork while traffickers exploit these blind spots. The result is a system where vulnerable children fall through the cracks and become invisible long enough to be groomed, moved, and sold. Compounding the fragmentation is the shocking obsolescence of the data itself. Federal reporting systems like the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System ( AFCARS) are typically two years behind reality, meaning policymakers, law enforcement, and even frontline caseworkers are making life-or-death decisions with outdated or incomplete information. Without real-time tracking and a unified national database, no one can say with certainty where tens of thousands of foster children are at any given moment. This chronic delay does not just hinder oversight; it actively enables predators who know the system cannot respond quickly when a child goes missing. The intersection of foster care and trafficking is one of America’s most underreported national scandals. A system designed to rescue children from harm has, through neglect, bureaucracy, and technological stagnation, been allowed to feed a criminal industry that preys on them. Until we demand a modern, interoperable, real-time child welfare data infrastructure and hold every level of government accountable for the children in its care, the pipeline from foster care to trafficking will remain open. Protecting America's children must mean protecting all of them—those lost at the border and those disappearing from within a system that was supposed to keep them safe.

America’s healthcare system has long conflated reactively managing disease with building wellness. The solution is straightforward: draw a sharp, enforceable line between reactive medical care and proactive health investment, then realign policy, insurance, and capital to reward prevention over treatment. By mandating transparent accounting, reforming incentives to prioritize outcomes, and scaling evidence-based prevention, policymakers can transform a dependency-driven model into one that promotes holistic preventative care. The current Trump Administration has already begun this shift—emphasizing wellness as an economic strategy—and now is the moment to accelerate it with disciplined, bipartisan action. The first step to a healthier America is restoring clarity in language and accounting measures. For too long, “healthcare” has been used interchangeably with “medical care,” obscuring the critical difference between interventions that treat illness and investments that prevent it. Policymakers must mandate separate tracking of preventive versus reactive expenditures through agencies like HHS, CMS, and OMB. This transparency will reveal the true return on investment: dollars spent on nutrition, early screening, and behavioral health yield exponential savings by averting costly hospitalizations and lifelong pharmaceutical dependence. Clear accounting is not bureaucratic—it is the foundation for reallocating billions from crisis management to resilience-building, ensuring every tax and premium dollar is spent where it delivers measurable, lasting value. Insurance markets must be reengineered to reward health, not volume. Current models reimburse hospitals and drug manufacturers generously while underfunding prevention, creating a perverse incentive to manage chronic illness rather than eliminate it. Coverage should be expanded for evidence-based preventive services, such as, nutrition counseling, fitness programs, and mental health support, and tie insurer profitability to reductions in chronic disease. States can accelerate this shift through Medicaid waivers that fund community wellness hubs and incentivize employers to offer health-contingent benefits. When insurers compete on keeping Americans healthy, not profit margins, the entire system pivots from cost inflation to cost containment, easing pressure on families and businesses alike. Public and private investment must follow, massively upscaling prevention infrastructure. Only a small fraction of health spending currently supports public health, leaving communities without the tools to combat obesity, diabetes, and heart disease at their roots. Federal grants should prioritize integrative programs—school-based nutrition, workplace wellness, urban green spaces—that deliver both health and economic returns through a more productive workforce. States can use tax credits to spur private investment in preventive technologies, from wearable health monitors to AI-driven risk prediction. This is not charity; it is strategic capital allocation. Every dollar invested in prevention today saves multiple dollars in future medical costs, freeing resources for education, infrastructure, and innovation. The policy blueprint is clear: Congress must refocus discretionary health budgets on prevention, the Executive Branch should enforce outcome-based reimbursement standards, and states should lead with flexible, locally tailored initiatives. The Trump administration has already begun this pivot, emphasizing transparency, wellness investment, and economic discipline in health policy. Building on this momentum, America can finally escape the trap of a sickness-driven economy. By funding resilience over reaction, prevention over pills, and vitality over dependency, we will not only lower costs and reduce debt—we will unleash a healthier, more competitive nation, where prosperity is measured not by profit margins but a healthy America.