A Grateful Nation's Tradition: Us Presidents And Their Thanksgiving Visits To Troops In Afghanistan

Two US presidents have visited troops in Afghanistan for Thanksgiving. George W. Bush visited troops in Afghanistan in March 2006, but it is unclear if this was for Thanksgiving. Donald Trump visited troops in Afghanistan for Thanksgiving in 2019.

Trump's 2019 trip to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving

On November 28, 2019, then-US President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to celebrate Thanksgiving with American troops. It was his first trip to the country and only his second visit to a war zone.

Trump landed at Bagram Air Base, the largest US base in Afghanistan, at 8:33 pm local time, after a 13-hour secret overnight flight from an undisclosed airport in Florida. The trip was shrouded in secrecy, with only a small circle of White House aides aware of the plans.

Upon arrival, Trump served Thanksgiving dinner to roughly two dozen troops at Bagram Air Field's dining facility. He then sat down to eat with the troops, telling them:

> I just want to say that we thank god for your help and all of the things that you've done. You're very special people and you don't even know how much the people of our country love and respect you.

Trump also met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and announced the resumption of peace negotiations with the Taliban. He told reporters that the Taliban wanted "to make a deal" and that peace talks had been re-ignited, although he did not provide further details.

Trump's visit lasted about three and a half hours before he boarded Air Force One to return to Florida. He told the troops:

> We will continue to work tirelessly for the day when we can bring each and every one of you home and safe to your family. And that day is coming … very soon.

Trump's false claims of being with troops in 2020

In 2019, then-President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to address American troops on Thanksgiving. This was his first trip to the country. However, in 2020, Trump did not visit Afghanistan. Instead, he addressed the military via video call from the White House and played golf at his club just outside Washington, DC.

Despite this, social media users shared posts claiming that Trump had spent Thanksgiving with troops in Afghanistan in 2020. These claims were false, as the photo of Trump in Afghanistan was from 2019. Trump himself tweeted the photo on November 29, 2019, with the caption, "Just returned to the United States after spending a GREAT Thanksgiving with our Courageous American Warriors in Afghanistan."

Trump's false claims about being with the troops in Afghanistan in 2020 are part of a pattern of dishonesty during his presidential campaign and presidency. CNN fact-checked 12 of Trump's speeches from October and November 2023 and found them teeming with false claims, misrepresentations, exaggerations, and outright lies. Trump's mendacity far exceeded that of President Joe Biden and his Republican rivals in the 2024 presidential primary.

Trump has also made false claims about his administration's investment in military equipment, the number of terrorist attacks during his presidency, the size of the US-Mexico border wall, and the effectiveness of his policies in defeating ISIS. He has repeatedly tried to take credit for accomplishments that were not solely or partially his doing, such as the VA Choice program, which was signed into law by his predecessor, Barack Obama, in 2014.

Trump's false claims about spending Thanksgiving with troops in Afghanistan in 2020 are just one example of his willingness to distort the truth and spread misinformation to advance his political agenda.

Trump's secret trip to Afghanistan

On November 28, 2019, President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to address American troops. This marked his first trip to the country and his second visit to a war zone during his presidency.

Trump slipped out of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida the night before Thanksgiving, boarding a military transport to Washington and then embarking on a 13-hour flight into Afghanistan. The trip was shrouded in secrecy, with only a small circle of aides aware of the plan. To avoid arousing suspicion, the White House continued to tweet from Trump's personal Twitter account while he was in the air, and a decoy plane was left on the tarmac at Palm Beach International Airport.

Trump landed at Bagram Air Base, the largest US base in Afghanistan, at 8:33 pm local time. He spent about three and a half hours on the ground, serving Thanksgiving dinner to the troops, posing for photos, and delivering remarks to 1,500 military personnel. He also met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and announced the resumption of peace negotiations with the Taliban.

Trump's visit to Afghanistan was brief but highly secured and carefully planned. It was a significant moment for the troops, who had the opportunity to meet and interact with the commander-in-chief. The trip also allowed Trump to showcase his support for the military and highlight US accomplishments in the region.

Trump's first trip to Afghanistan

On November 28, 2019, President Trump made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to celebrate Thanksgiving with the troops. This was his first trip to the country and his second visit to a war zone, after a similarly secretive trip to Iraq for Christmas in 2018.

Trump slipped out of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida the night before Thanksgiving, leaving behind his wife, Melania, and other family members. His departure was kept secret from most of his staff, and he boarded a military plane at an undisclosed airport, eventually arriving in Afghanistan after a 13-hour flight.

Trump landed at Bagram Air Base, the largest US base in Afghanistan, at 8:33 pm local time. He served Thanksgiving dinner to about two dozen troops and sat down to eat with Senator John Barrasso and a commander based at Bagram. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was playing in the background.

In a speech to around 500 US personnel, Trump praised the troops, calling them "courageous American warriors." He also discussed the war in Afghanistan, saying it will not be decided on the battlefield but by the people of the region with a political solution. He expressed his desire to bring the troops home soon and spoke about the stalled peace talks with the Taliban.

Trump's trip to Afghanistan lasted about three hours on the ground, and he returned to Florida early on Thanksgiving morning. The whole journey was shrouded in secrecy due to the dangerous nature of the war zone.

Trump's second trip to a combat zone

On November 28, 2019, President Trump made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the troops at Bagram Air Field. This marked his second trip to a combat zone, his first being a visit to Iraq in December 2018.

Trump's trip to Afghanistan was shrouded in secrecy, with journalists barred from reporting on the trip until just before their departure. The president and his staff went to great lengths to ensure the trip remained confidential, including confiscating cell phones and other devices emitting signals from everyone on Air Force One. Tweets were sent from Trump's Twitter account to avoid suspicion from those tracking his online activity.

Trump's visit lasted about 3.5 hours, during which he served turkey to the troops, posed for photos, and delivered remarks to approximately 1,500 military personnel. He praised the troops and highlighted the progress made in the war-torn country, specifically mentioning the destruction of the Islamic State and al-Qaida. He also announced the resumption of peace negotiations with the Taliban.

Trump's trip to Afghanistan was significant as it was his first visit to the country and came amid criticism for not having visited troops in combat zones during his presidency. Prior to his trip to Afghanistan, Trump had faced calls to visit troops in war zones, with some arguing that it would boost morale and show his support for the military.

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