East Cobb families with children born on or after January 1, 2025, can now enroll for a $1,000 federal investment account at trumpaccounts.gov. President Donald Trump came to Wheeler High School on Wednesday, July 22, to promote the program bearing his name, drawing more than 5,000 people into the gymnasium, according to the Cobb County School District, and more than 100 protesters across the street.
The Trump Accounts, created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and launched July 4, give every U.S. child born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, a $1,000 Treasury deposit into a tax-deferred account. Any child under 18 can open an account, but only those born during that window receive the government seed money. Parents and others can add up to $5,000 per year. The funds are invested in an S&P 500 index fund and cannot be touched until the child turns 18.
The program is opt-in. Families must enroll at trumpaccounts.gov. More than 6.5 million children have been signed up nationally, with 1.5 million eligible for the $1,000 deposit, according to the Treasury Department.
After age 18, penalty-free withdrawals are allowed for college tuition or a first-time home purchase up to $10,000. Without additional contributions, the $1,000 grows to roughly $6,000 by age 18. With $2,500 in annual contributions, the White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates the account would grow to approximately $154,800 by age 18, assuming historical S&P 500 returns.
Why Wheeler?
Cobb County Schools Chief Strategy & Accountability Officer John Floresta defended the district's decision to host the president.
"Regardless of who is president, when the White House wants to honor your schools, you say yes. And when the White House wants to give children under the age of 18 a thousand dollars, as parents — we hope they're excited about it as we will be to learn about it," Floresta told Atlanta News First.
Floresta called it the district's third presidential visit, noting President George W. Bush visited Harrison High School during his administration and President Barack Obama visited McEachern High School. The Cobb County School District is Georgia's second-largest, serving 105,738 students across 112 schools.
Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, school board members John Cristadoro and Brad Wheeler, state Rep. Devan Seabaugh (R-Marietta), and Cobb Commissioners Keli Gambrill and JoAnn Birrell attended the event, according to the Marietta Daily Journal.
Split scene outside
The crowd split sharply along party lines. On Wheeler's lawn, Trump supporters in red caps and American flag apparel set up camp; some had been waiting since 2 a.m. Across the street at Eastvalley Elementary, well over 100 protesters waved "No Kings" signs and called for accountability from Ragsdale.
Patrick Popham, first vice chair of the Cobb County Democratic Party, said approximately 600 county residents signed up for protests at multiple locations across east Cobb. Wheeler alumna Sydney Spessard called the visit "a slap in the face to the student body and everything I love about my alma mater," according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
No violence was reported between the two groups, according to the Marietta Daily Journal.
What's next
The Cobb County Democratic Committee is urging residents to attend the Cobb Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. July 24 at 514 Glover Street in Marietta to address the district's decision to host the event. The 2026–2027 school year begins Monday, August 3.
