The Secretary's SitRep

If you spend enough time reading the news these days, it’s easy to conclude that America is coming apart. Trust in government is near historic lows and trust in the media isn’t much better. Religious participation has declined, and Americans feel increasingly disconnected from their communities. But a few weeks ago, standing on stage at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), I found a reason to feel hopeful about the future.

More than 120,000 veterans have died by suicide since 9/11. One soldier's story shows why the system keeps failing. May is almost over, which means so is Mental Health Awareness Month. I’m sure you’ve seen familiar slogans fill your feed like: “You are not alone.” “It’s okay to not be okay.” “Mental health is physical health.” All of these are true. But here’s what you don’t typically hear: Every day, 135 Americans die by suicide. It’s the equivalent of a commercial plane crash every single day.

Trump’s meeting with Xi proved that Taiwan’s security is now a bargaining chip Written with Bruce Dickson. Last week, President Trump made his first state visit to Beijing since 2017 – two days covering trade, tariffs, Taiwan, Iran, artificial intelligence, and the future of the most consequential relationship in the world.

Written with Bruce Dickson. President Trump lands in Beijing today for two days of talks with Xi Jinping for a summit originally scheduled for March before the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran forced a postponement. Xi is hosting a wartime president whose military is stretched across two conflicts, whose allies are questioning American reliability, and whose attention is split in ways that give Beijing significant advantages going into the room. It wasn’t always this complicated.

Across America, including in my home state of Pennsylvania, electricity costs continue to rise, hitting family budgets, small businesses, and the price of nearly everything we buy. My neighbors are feeling it here in Bucks County. Governor Josh Shapiro is right that Pennsylvania’s electric grid is under real strain. His recent budget address and letter to utility companies show he’s paying attention. Now comes the harder part: identifying the actual cause.

Grateful to spend this Mother’s Day surrounded by family and the incredible Murphy Moms - starting with church and ending around the table together. Wanted to reshare this column from last year honoring our family’s matriarch. Her love, strength, faith, and example continue to shape all of us every single day. Love you, Mom. 💕 I always joke that my mom left Jesus for my dad, Jack Murphy. It usually gets a laugh, but it’s also sort of true. She was a Catholic nun. And then, one day, she wasn’t.

In an age where young people are too often shut out of business and politics and the loudest voices dominate the conversation, ‘Take the Mic’ brings something different: principled, solutions-focused dialogue. Hosted by Patrick J. Murphy—America’s first Iraq War veteran in Congress, Wharton lecturer & entrepreneur - the show features authors, veterans, policymakers, and thought leaders from across the political spectrum. Together, we engage in conversations that speak to our current moment.

This past week, I spent four incredible days in sunny L.A. at the Milken Institute Global Conference. Held at the Beverly Hilton, the 5,000-person conference brought together the brightest minds in health care, finance, technology, media, defense, and geopolitics. The guest list rivals that of the Met Gala. Speakers included Tom Brady, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Shaquille O’Neal, Tiffany Haddish, Jill Biden, Admiral (Ret) Bill McRaven, and over 900 more spread across more than 200 sessions.

In the summer of 1965, a Yale undergraduate named Fred Smith wrote a term paper about the economy and a logistics company that could deliver packages overnight across the country. His professor gave it a C. Six years later, after two tours in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine and 200 combat missions, Smith came home with a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and launched a company out of Memphis, raising $91 million in venture capital.

It’s been six days since a man with a shotgun, a handgun, and knives breached the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) and tried to assassinate the president. Two thousand journalists, cabinet officials, and Washington fixtures were mid-dinner at the Washington Hilton when shots rang out. The man who did it doesn’t fit the story we’ve been telling ourselves. Cole Tomas Allen was not lurking on the fringes. By all accounts, he was a normal person and highly accomplished.