President Donald Trump touted his Trump Accounts for kids platform during his State of the Union address Tuesday, Feb. 24, months before the savings account program goes live this summer.

Roughly 63% of parents open bank accounts for the newborns and young children according to The Financial Brand, showing that in general, opening a bank accounts for your child is a good idea.

But what, exactly, are Trump Accounts for kids, and does it make sense for you to open one for your child? Here’s everything you need to know.

Trump Account for kids explained

The IRS explained in a memo Trump Accounts will be available for any children under 18, with $1,000 seed money available for newborns and very young children.

That account will be seeded with federal government funds.

“A Trump account is a type of traditional individual retirement account that is established for the exclusive benefit of an eligible individual and that is designated at its establishment as a Trump account,” read the IRS’ Trump Accounts memo. “Upon an election under the pilot program, $1,000 is paid by the Secretary to the Trump account of an eligible child.

“An eligible child means a qualifying child who is born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029, who is a U.S. citizen, and for whom no prior pilot program election has been made.”

The Trump Accounts website confirms parents do not need to make a contribution, but can deposit up to $5,000 a year into the interest-bearing account.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in comments published Jan. 28 a single $1,000 deposit into a Trump Account at birth should grow to an estimated $500,000 by the age of retirement.

When will Trump Accounts for kids lunch, and can I apply in Delaware?

Delaware has faced a snowy winter with multiple major winter storms hitting the state.

While the winter has been volatile, spring might be a little less so. AccuWeather is predicting fewer tornadoes in the United States this spring, but there’s still the possibility of strong storms and flooding throughout the country.

A fast exit from La Niña could result in a weaker upper-level jet stream overall this spring, AccuWeather predicted. This situation reduces the conditions that produce tornadoes. However, the conditions support lines of thunderstorm capable of producing damaging winds and repeated rounds of flooding down.

“There may be fewer tornadoes reported compared to last year, but that does not mean this will be a quiet severe weather season,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex Duffus said in a new release. “There is an increased likelihood of severe thunderstorms packing damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours. Flash flooding is a big concern this year.”

According to AccuWeather, the peak time Delaware will see severe weather will be in May.

Are there tornadoes in Delaware?

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Funnel cloud over Frankford, Delaware, June 30, 2025

The National Weather Service did not confirm a tornado touched town.

While tornadoes in Delaware are rare, they do happen. Last year, there were two confirmed tornadoes in Delaware – one near Bethel and the other near Frankford.

Since 1954, there have been 80 tornadoes in the First State, leading to 78 injuries and three deaths.

The busiest tornado seasons were in 2020 and 1992 when six tornadoes hit the state. The early 1990s saw an increase in tornadic activity as 17 tornadoes hit the state between 1992 and 1995.

National Weather Service Delaware spring forecast

The National Weather Service is predicting equal chances that Delaware will either have above normal or below normal temperatures during the spring. The Maryland and Virginia portion of the Delmarva peninsula has a 33% to 40% chance of seeing a warmer than average spring.

In terms of precipitation, Delaware has an equal chance of having above normal or below normal temperatures during the spring.

Spring forecast: Spring 2026 starts soon; What Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts

What’s the difference between a watch, warning and emergency?

With spring quickly approaching, it’s a good time to brush up on spring weather terms. According to the National Weather Service, these are some of the different alerts.

• Severe thunderstorm watch: A watch means thunderstorms are possible in the area. Watch areas are generally large. People in the areas should pay attention to weather reports and changing conditions.
• Severe thunderstorm warning: A severe thunderstorm has been spotted in your area or is tracking toward your area. People should take shelter and pay attention to weather reports and changing conditions.
• Tornado watch: A watch means tornadoes are possible in the area. The areas are generally very large. When a watch is issued, it means it’s time to prepare for a potential storm and keep an eye on weather reports in case conditions change.
• Tornado warning: A funnel cloud or tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. You should seek shelter. Move to an interior room of your home on the lowest floor and avoid areas with windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle or outdoors, move to a shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.
• Tornado emergency: A tornado emergency is the National Weather Service’s highest alert level and is issued when a violent tornado has touched down in the watch area. The tornado is a severe threat to human life and property, with catastrophic damage confirmed. Immediately seek refuge in the safest location possible.

What are journalists missing from the state of Delaware? What would you most like WHYY News to cover? Let us know.

Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester is using her plus-one to Tuesday night’s State of the Union address to highlight her opposition to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Immigration advocate Maria Mesias-Tatnall is Blunt Rochester’s guest to the president’s speech. As director of outreach and immigration assistance at the Delaware Department of Justice, she was key to negotiating the release of a Delaware mother of two from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention.

The Democratic U.S. senator said Delaware residents suspected of being undocumented are being subjected to harsh enforcement actions, similar to reports out of other states around the country.

“What we wanted to highlight at the State of the Union was that a year later, things are not better,” Blunt Rochester said. “They’re not better as it pertains to costs for people and as it pertains to the fear that it is created in communities where even our local law enforcement have had to feel an erosion of trust.”

Mesias-Tatnall told reporters Tuesday about the attempted deportation of Sussex County resident Isabella, who was detained by ICE last year. Isabella is a nickname to protect her identity.

Isabella, a domestic violence survivor, has requested legal status through a U visa. It is set aside for victims of certain crimes, such as domestic violence and sexual assault, who are helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.

Isabella’s ex-husband stabbed her in 2019. She helped police catch him and deport him back to Central America and has been granted temporary legal status in the U.S.

But last year, Mesias-Tatnall said ICE agents broke down Isabella’s door without a judicial warrant and detained her and her brother. Isabella was flown to Louisiana.

“For about a month, Isabella is left on an inch-thick mattress in cells where the detainees were mistreated with a level of evilness and cruelty that is uncool and unjustified,” Mesias-Tatnall said.

Isabella was set to be deported back to her native country, where her abuser could have been waiting to greet her. But with help from Mesias-Tatnall and the Community Legal Aid Society, Inc., Delaware Department of Justice attorneys convinced federal agents to release her. She is now back in Delaware with her children after Mesias-Tatnall flew to Louisiana to pick her up. But she said the family is still coping with the trauma.

“How do you tell children, ‘That’s not going to happen’ or ‘That’s not going to happen again’ — because it can happen,” Mesias-Tatnall said. “It can happen to any of us.”