Trump heads to Georgia as special voting opens
Trump visits northwest Georgia to tout economic gains as early voting begins in the special election to fill Marjorie Taylor Greene’s vacant seat days before his State of the Union address.
Today in Congress
President Donald Trump will travel to Northwest Georgia today to speak about affordability and the economy, spotlighting what the White House says is his administration’s efforts to tame inflation and boost real wages. The visit coincides with the start of early voting in the March 10 special election to fill the deep-red 14th District seat vacated last month by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Trump has endorsed Clay Fuller, a former district attorney and Air National Guard lieutenant colonel, in the crowded 18-candidate field in a move that could help shape the race’s trajectory. The trip also marks one of Trump’s final major public appearances before he delivers the State of the Union next Tuesday, set against the backdrop of the ongoing Department of Homeland shutdown.
Happenings
All times Eastern.
The House is out.
The Senate is in recess but will convene briefly at 2 p.m. for a non-voting session.
President Trump will participate in a Board of Peace event at 9 a.m., then travel to Rome, Ga., where he will visit a local business at 1 p.m. The president will participate in a podcast interview at 2:30 p.m., followed by a local factory tour at 3:30 p.m. Trump will speak about the economy at 4 p.m., then depart Rome for the White House.
In the Know
— Top House Democratic committee leaders demanded a classified briefing from the Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security and Defense after last week’s abrupt airspace shutdown in El Paso, citing conflicting accounts of a suspected drone incident and concerns that counter-drone technology was deployed without required Federal Aviation Administration coordination. In a letter to Secretaries Sean Duffy, Kristi Noem, and Pete Hegseth, the ranking members said the lack of transparency raises questions about aviation safety and the use of the counter-drone system.
— Top House Democrats on the Education and Workforce Committee pressed Education Secretary Linda McMahon again for answers on the impact of stepped-up immigration enforcement near schools, citing a recent confrontation at a Minneapolis high school and warning that ICE activity is disrupting classrooms and harming students’ mental health. In a follow-up letter signed by 69 Democrats, the lawmakers said the department has yet to respond to a November oversight inquiry seeking clarity on federal support for immigrant and mixed-status families.
— Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and a group of Democratic lawmakers urged inspectors general at 16 federal agencies to investigate whether at least 21 former lobbyists now serving in senior Trump administration roles are improperly benefiting their previous employers and clients. In a letter, the lawmakers cited high-profile cases at the Justice Department, the Transportation Department, and the Environmental Protection Agency and warned that, even if legal, officials’ involvement in matters tied to former clients raises serious ethics and conflict-of-interest concerns.
Read All About It
“Why some people thrive on four hours of sleep” by Shayla Love: “Short sleepers, who make up less than one percent of the population, spend significantly less time snoozing without any apparent health consequences.”
“Why it’s becoming so expensive to buy a car in America” by Todd C. Frankel: “Prices are at record highs. More loans are going bad. It’s not an easy time to afford a new car in America.”
“The worst-case future for white-collar workers” by Annie Lowrey: “The well-off have no experience with the job market that might be coming.”