6 questions about Donald Trump’s return to Georgia

President Donald Trump will headline his first Georgia event since reclaiming the White House when he visits Rome on Thursday to promote his economic agenda.

The White House says the focus will be jobs and affordability. But Trump’s appearances rarely stay confined to prepared remarks, particularly at a moment when the state is at a political crossroads.

Here’s what we’ll be watching for:

1. Does he unload on Marjorie Taylor Greene?

Trump is stepping into Greene’s political backyard just weeks after she resigned from Congress following a surprisingly bitter feud with the president. Trump has already endorsed former prosecutor Clay Fuller to replace her. He’s a more conventional Republican who has pledged not to follow her confrontational approach. The question now is whether Trump lets that endorsement speak for itself or uses the stage to attack Greene on her home court.

2. Does he jolt the governor’s race?

Trump endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones last year, making what seemed the obvious choice for his MAGA supporters. Jones was one of his earliest supporters in Georgia and Trump was never going to side with Attorney General Chris Carr or Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Then billionaire Rick Jackson jumped in and scrambled the math. No one expects Trump to abandon Jones. But does he broaden the tent by also backing another businessman?

3. Does he pick a Senate favorite?

When Vice President JD Vance last visited Georgia, he carefully gave equal attention to the three Republican contenders hoping to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff: U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins, and former football coach Derek Dooley. Trump, too, has so far resisted picking sides. But with the May primary nearing, his silence speaks volumes. A nod in any direction could instantly reshape the race.

4. What does he say about the FBI raid of Fulton County’s election office?

The FBI probe last month reignited lingering tensions over Trump’s effort to overturn his 2020 defeat in Georgia. Trump has praised the agents involved and publicly backed the investigation. Whether he doubles down or pivots will signal how central he intends to make election grievances in the months ahead.

5. Does immigration become a flashpoint?

In deep-red communities such as Oakwood and Social Circle, local officials are fighting new federal immigration detention facilities planned for their areas. Trump has made immigration enforcement central to his agenda. Whether he acknowledges the local pushback — or dismisses it — will offer a window into how he balances that tension.

6. And what about Kemp?

After years of a mostly one-sided feud, Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp reached an uneasy détente during the 2024 campaign — only for Trump to unleash a lengthy on-stage tirade against him near the end of the race. Republican leaders quietly worked for weeks to repair the relationship, and Kemp has taken care not to provoke the president. Trump’s tone on Thursday could reinforce that fragile truce or disrupt it again.

Things to know

Credit: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Credit: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Good morning. The Rev. Jesse Jackson died this morning at 84. Born and raised in South Carolina, Jackson was a two-time Democratic presidential candidate, a protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and one of the country’s foremost civil rights leaders.

Here are four other things to know for today:

‘The Jackson 5′

Credit: Screenshot/WBJ Leadership Committee

Credit: Screenshot/WBJ Leadership Committee

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ campaign is out this morning with a new digital ad casting Republican rival Rick Jackson as part of what it is calling the “Jackson 5” of Never Trumpers.

The spot highlights past donations Jackson made to Jeb Bush, Bill Cassidy, Geoff Duncan, Nikki Haley and Mitt Romney — all Republicans (or in Duncan’s case, former Republicans) who have, at various points, clashed with President Donald Trump.

The ad ends with a jab: “Now this Never Trumper wants to stroll in and buy Georgia? Hard pass, baby.”

Social media

Credit: Matthew Abbot/The New York Times

Credit: Matthew Abbot/The New York Times

Georgia is still trying to figure out how to protect children on social media. It’s first attempt, a 2024 law requiring companies to verify ages of minors, was blocked by the courts.

Now, lawmakers are aiming to try again — and it might take two bills to get it done.

Senate Bill 343 would ban social media companies from using “engagement maximizing algorithms and design features” on children. Senate Bill 467 would require app store providers to verify the ages of people before they download something.

Both bills are being vetted by the Senate Children and Families Committee, where Chair Kay Kirkpatrick, R-Marietta, is taking her time. The committee is scheduled to discuss Senate Bill 467 today, but won’t vote on it.

“We need to have a robust discussion, hopefully between parties that are not necessarily on the same page about it, so we can get to something that makes sense,” she said.

Senate Bill 343 started out as a ban on children 14 and younger from having social media accounts. But Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia, changed it to instead ban companies from using features like infinite scroll and autoplay on children.

“We rewrote this bill intentionally because courts have been very clear that states cannot ban minors from accessing lawful speech online,” said Hatchett, the bill’s primary sponsor.

Senate bill 467 is sponsored by Sen. Bill Cowsert, a Republican from Athens and a candidate for attorney general. He said the legislation is modeled after legislation that’s been backed by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Google and Apple have their own ideas.

“They all recognize the problem, they all have different solutions,” Cowsert said. “We’re going to sort them all out and find out a way to protect kids.”

Cumberland’s call

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Georgia’s Cumberland Island is one of those rare, publicly-owned wild paradises that few have experienced.

The barrier island located at the state’s southern tip is accessible only by boat and has few lodging options — mostly tent campsites. The public ferry that connects Cumberland to the mainland in St. Marys has a 300-ticket daily cap, further limiting visitation in keeping with a 1972 decree from Congress that Cumberland, a national seashore, remain “in its primitive state.”

That could change under a new visitation plan from the island’s caretakers, the National Park Service. The agency wants to more than double the number of ferry seats, add a ferry docking location, increase campsite capacity by 25% and open 3 more miles of beach to bicyclists.

The proposal is open to public comment through Saturday. The National Park Service extended the deadline by two weeks after receiving a wave of feedback ahead of the initial cutoff date of Feb. 6.

Conservation and environmental groups have expressed concerns about the plan. Earlier versions had been released for public review in 2019 and 2022 only to be shelved after drawing pushback.

Under the Gold Dome

Credit: Adam Beam/AJC

Credit: Adam Beam/AJC

It’s Day 19 of the legislative session. Some happenings:

Listen up

Credit: Natalie Mendenhall/AJC

Credit: Natalie Mendenhall/AJC

Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast former Gov. Roy Barnes and former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss join the show for a conversation about the FBI raid on Fulton County’s election office.

You can listen and subscribe to Politically Georgia for free an Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.

DHS shutdown

The partial government shutdown affecting every agency within the Department of Homeland Security began at midnight as Friday turned to Saturday. There is no end in sight.

Congress is out this week and there is no indication members will be called back early to push through an agreement.

The negotiations are mainly on the shoulders of President Donald Trump and U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. They are looking for a way to fund DHS while also addressing the immigration enforcement policy changes Democrats are seeking after the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. Schumer announced late Monday that he had sent a new counteroffer to the White House.

About 90% of DHS workers are deemed essential, meaning they must continue working without pay. That includes TSA agents working at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. So far, wait times at airport security lanes have not been impacted.

According to the General Services Administration, workers first impacted paycheck would be March 4.

Today in Washington

Shoutouts

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

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Before you go

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Rome neurosurgeon John Cowan’s campaign is trying to signal early momentum in the race for Georgia’s 11th Congressional District. The Republican rolled out endorsements today from Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston and state Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, a Rome Republican with a long footprint in northwest Georgia politics.

That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.