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President Trump is scheduled to return to the Peach State this week to attend an Atlanta-area high school to discuss the recently launched Trump account.
Trump will speak at 2 p.m. at Wheeler High School in Marietta, which is part of Cobb County and part of metro Atlanta.
The district celebrated the event, and officials said in a July 16 statement that they were “honored that the President of the United States chose to visit our district for an event focused on education and student achievement.”
Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson and U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins are scheduled to appear with the president, and although it is not being billed as a campaign rally, community reactions to MAGA tickets arriving in Cobb County have been mixed.
The district is the second largest in Georgia, with nearly 800,000 people calling the county home, according to recent census data. Cobb County also has a sizable minority population, making up more than 50% of the community.
Here’s what they had to say:
Local representatives share mixed messages about President Trump
In a July 20 post, Republican state Rep. Devan Thiebaud of Georgia’s 34th District said President Trump “could have chosen any community in America” to highlight his investment in America’s youth, but the community should be “proud” that he chose Wheeler High School.
“This visit is an opportunity to showcase the outstanding students, dedicated educators, strong schools, and families that make Cobb County a special place to live, work, and raise a family,” Thiebaud said. “I look forward to hearing more about his efforts designed to help our children begin to build a stronger financial future.”
Chris Harden, the Democratic candidate running against Trump supporter John Cowan in Georgia’s 11th Congressional District election, said in a July 16 post that Trump “suddenly became concerned about Cobb County and will not be coming to Wheeler High School.”
“The selection of Wheeler High School as the backdrop for this campaign stop could not be more ironic. Wheeler High School represents Georgia’s future. Approximately 40 percent of our students are students of color, and 26 percent of our teachers are educators of color. This is a school that reflects the diversity, talent, and promise of our community,” Harden said. “Our students are not political props. Our teachers are not campaign props. Our schools should never be the stage for partisan theater.”
Community Plan “No Kings” protests and other opposition
Community groups reacted even more fiercely to the announcement of the event.
“The Cobb County Democratic Committee is rallying our response to these events. First, a rally will be held outside Wheeler High School on Wednesday. Second, CCDC is calling on community members to attend the Cobb County Schools Board of Education meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m. to hold the superintendent and school board accountable,” the group said in a July 21 post.
The group said in a statement that the remarks would be specific to Trump’s account, but noted that “the addition of candidate Rick Jackson and Congressman Mike Collins to the event makes one thing clear: This is a testament to the leadership of the Georgia Republican Party, funded by county taxpayers.”
In a July 19 post, Cobb County School Board candidate Michael Garza accused the current board of dodging questions about who pays for public school events and why event promotions are shared through official school communications channels.
Indivisible Cobb also shared the post, and others announced that “No Kings”-style protests were being held outside school events before, during, and after President Trump’s remarks.
Another candidate, Lisa Campbell, asked community members to bring school supplies to the protest, including pencils, folders, tissue boxes, hand wipes, hand sanitizer, lined notebooks, composition notebooks, and drawing paper to donate to Wheeler High School as the district prepares for the 2026-2027 school year.
Did Cobb County vote for Trump?
Trump has never won a general election in Cobb County, according to results from the Cobb County Board of Elections.
Records show Cobb County voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024.
What will Mr. Trump talk about?
Cobb County is Georgia’s second largest public school district, serving more than 105,000 students. It is also the 23rd largest school district in the United States. The district says its students rank No. 1 in metro Atlanta on the Georgia Milestones test and regularly outperform state and national ACT and SAT averages.
“We look forward to welcoming the president and introducing him to the high-quality academic options that make Cobb a great place to raise a family,” Chief Strategic Officer John Floresta said in a statement.
The school setting will likely reinforce Trump’s expected comments about the future of America’s youth, including his recent launch of the Trump account.
“Through the Trump Account, President Trump is giving every American child a head start in life, a nest egg to grow up with, and a real bet on their future,” White House press secretary Liz Houston said in a statement.
The program, which launched on July 4, will provide $1,000 to children born between 2025 and 2028, acting as a type of IRA for children. Children under the age of 18 can start a Trump Account (through a parent or legal guardian) but will not receive the $1,000 federal contribution.
President Trump may also voice support for the midterm campaign efforts of Jackson and Collins, two candidates who attended the event together.
The president spoke about Georgia’s elections during his February visit, but election integrity may also be among the president’s topics on Wednesday, following his recent address to the nation alleging voter fraud and the FBI’s continued investigation into ballots in Fulton County, Georgia.
Eileen Wright covers Georgia politics as an Atlanta Connect reporter for USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect team. X Find her at @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
