Biometric technologies are currently used for a number of congressionally authorized or mandated security applications throughout the U.S. government. The Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-71) granted the Transportation Security Administration the authority to employ biometrics for passenger screening and airport access control. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458) required the Department of Homeland Security to operate a biometric entry and exit data system to verify the identity of foreign nationals seeking to enter or exit the United States.

Biometric technologies have a number of vulnerabilities that underscore the ethical concerns over their employment and could result in the failure of the technology to perform as anticipated. Algorithmic Bias Researchers have repeatedly found that AI-trained facial recognition programs fail disproportionately when used for women and people of color, due to both the models and the data on which the programs were trained. If unaddressed, these challenges could result in system failure, potentially leading to violations of civil liberties or international humanitarian law.

The headline feature of the Trump Account program is a one-time $1,000 refundable tax credit deposited directly into a qualifying child’s account by the U.S. Treasury. It is the mechanism closest to what proponents of so-called “baby bond” policies have long proposed—a government seed investment in a child’s long-term financial future. Who Qualifies Eligibility is narrow and time-limited. The child must: Be a U.S. citizen Have a work-authorized Social Security number Be born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028 Households must actively elect to receive the contribution.

The Department of Defense is exploring a range of emerging biometric technologies and biometric applications, including AI techniques that could identify individuals in low light or otherwise obscured conditions, and laser techniques that could identify individuals at distances of around 200 meters. Such techniques could be employed in covert and clandestine operations without an individual’s knowledge or consent. Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems In the future, biometric technologies could be integrated into lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS)—weapons capable of selecting and engaging targets without the need for manual human control or remote operation.

Every year, TIME releases a list that tries to answer a slippery question: who actually shapes the world right now. The 2026 edition of the TIME100 leans into that ambiguity, mixing heads of state with YouTubers, AI architects with fashion designers, and activists with entertainers. It feels less like a ranking and more like a cross-section of influence in motion. Rather than offering a strict hierarchy, the list works as a snapshot of the people who, in very different ways, are helping define the mood, direction, and priorities of the current moment.

Trump Accounts are designed in part to distribute wealth-building tools more broadly. Whether they succeed depends on structural features that pull in opposite directions—and on how federal agencies eventually decide to treat account assets when determining eligibility for programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and SSI. The Regressive Core The tax-deferred growth benefit that underpins Trump Accounts is, by design, worth more to higher-income households. Tax deferral is valuable in proportion to the marginal tax rate a household faces.

One of the more notable constraints in the Trump Account structure is the investment restriction during the growth period. Until the year the beneficiary turns 18, account funds must be held in a single category of investment—and the parameters are specific. What Qualifies Eligible investments are mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track a diversified U.S. equity index. The S&P 500 is the named reference point in the law, but other broad U.

Trump Accounts are the newest option in a crowded field of tax-advantaged savings vehicles for children. How they stack up against 529 plans and custodial Roth IRAs depends almost entirely on the child’s circumstances and the family’s goals. The Tax Structure Comparison The fundamental tax difference between these account types comes down to when taxes are paid: 529 Plans are tax-exempt: contributions come from after-tax dollars, earnings grow without annual taxation, and withdrawals for qualified education expenses are completely tax-free.

A new type of individual retirement account for minors is now law. The 2025 reconciliation act (P.L. 119-21) created what it calls Trump Accounts—traditional IRAs structured specifically for children under 18, with a distinct set of rules that govern the account until the beneficiary reaches adulthood. Accounts can be opened starting July 4, 2026. An authorized individual—a parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or adult sibling—may open one on behalf of a child.

Trump Accounts accept contributions from a wider range of sources than a standard IRA. Beyond parents and family members, employers, nonprofit organizations, and state and local governments can all contribute—each under its own set of rules and tax treatment. Individual Contributors Anyone can put money into a child’s Trump Account. Contributions from individuals—parents, grandparents, family friends—count toward the $5,000 annual limit and are not tax-deductible. For gift tax purposes, contributions are treated as gifts; amounts above $19,000 per recipient per year in 2026 must be reported to the IRS, though they become taxable only when a donor’s lifetime gifts exceed the $15 million exclusion.