Trump’s plan to charge $100,000 for new H-1B visas is met with dismay by CEOs who want the world’s top talent

Photo: GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 21: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on September 10th while speaking at an event during his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Credit: Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

• In today’s CEO Daily: Diane Brady on what CEOs have to say about Trump’s plan for new H-1B visa fees.
• The big story: The Murdochs and Michael Dell are named in TikTok deal talks.
• The markets: Mixed but calm.
• Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune.

Good morning. Elon Musk has noted that he is in the U.S. because of the H-1B visa. I came to the U.S. on one, too. So did Melania Trump. Odds are high that none of us would have been able to work here, had it cost our employers $100,000 a pop. Donald Trump’s decision to dramatically raise the cost of this key visa for foreign workers caused chaos over the weekend, followed by mild relief that existing holders are exempt, but widespread confusion about what this means for business. “We’re being inundated with member requests,” U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Clark told me yesterday. “We’re working with the Administration and our members to understand the full implications and the best path forward.”