Citizens Party of the United States
The Citizens Party of the United States is a center-left political party focused on economic nationalism. It was founded on November 2, 2004, by Michael Thompson in Wayne, Pennsylvania, originally as the New American Independent Party (NAIP). The first meeting took place on general election day in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The party changed its name to the Citizens Party in January 2011, after a transition that lasted several months. Its headquarters are in Philadelphia.
The party currently has no seats in the Senate, the House, governorships, or other elected offices.
Key goals and policies include:
- End U.S. participation in major trade deals like the World Trade Organization, CAFTA, and NAFTA; reduce deficits; promote American manufacturing; penalize outsourcing.
- Invest in infrastructure with research and development focused on renewable energy and natural gas; oppose fracking and require environmental reviews for drilling.
- Fight corruption by auditing the Federal Reserve, banning certain lobbying activities, and reviving the Glass-Steagall Act to reduce bailouts tied to big banks.
- Help veterans, family farmers, and the long-term unemployed; push for health care reform, affordable education, and a simpler tax code.
- Enforce stricter immigration rules, with limits on H1B and L1 visas and penalties for companies that hire illegal workers.
Foreign policy emphasizes a non-partisan stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and limiting military use to non-interventionist actions that directly benefit national security. Socially, the party supports same-sex marriage, the Second Amendment, and Roe v. Wade, and it has historically supported organic foods and industrial hemp.
The party encourages members to start draft campaigns to recruit candidates. Presidential contenders are required to answer a set of “Citizens Questions” at least 60 days before the national convention, with the responses published online.
Election history includes Michael Thompson’s 2006 bid for Pennsylvania State Representative (2.84% of the vote); Frank McEnulty’s 2008 presidential nomination (also appearing as the Reform Party’s vice-presidential nominee) with 828 NAIP votes and 481 Reform Party votes; and an endorsement of Chris Daggett for Governor of New Jersey in 2009, who finished third with 6% of the vote. The party did not nominate a presidential ticket in 2012 and has not nominated one since 2009.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:20 (CET).