Donald Trump will spend Thanksgiving thanking U.S. troops abroad in an afternoon video call and then have a holiday dinner with Melania, Barron and other members of the first family.
The president is scheduled to video conference with members of the military from Mar-a-Lago, his Florida residence where he’s spending the holiday.
Trump took to Twitter to wish Americans a ‘Happy Thanksgiving,’ tweeting a photo of himself and the first lady at Tuesday’s turkey pardoning at the White House with the message: ‘Melania and I wish all Americans a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!’
Melania Trump also chimed in on social media, tweeting: ‘May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving! Enjoy time with your family and friends. To those in our military who are serving overseas, you are in our thoughts and prayers – our nation is thankful for all you do!’
President Trump will have Thanksgiving dinner with Melania, Barron and other members of the Trump family
The president is in Florida through Sunday for his Thanksgiving holiday.
It’s the first holiday the Trump family is celebrating at Mar-a-Lago since they officially changed their residence from New York to Florida.
Some of the Trump children have already been spotted at the family compound for the occassion.
Eric Trump posted a photo of him and his son by the water on Wednesday, writing ‘morning walk in pj’s.’
Barron Trump was spotted flying down to Florida on Air Force One with his parents and Melania Trump’s parents.
It’s unclear if any of the other Trump children are present.
In the past, Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle; Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and their children; and Tiffany Trump and her boyfriend Michael Boulos have been spotted.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos were at the turkey pardoning at the White House on Tuesday.
Trump got things started with a round of golf at his Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach on Wednesday.
He did not head to the golf course on Thursday morning despite the 75 degrees and sunny weather.
The president was spotted in his motorcade on Wednesday wearing a red hat with the number 45 on the side – he is the 45th president. He had on a pair of reading glasses and was peering at his iphone.
He returned to his Mar-a-Lago residence after about four hours at the golf course.
Eric Trump posted a photo of a morning walk with his son in Florida on Wednesday
Trump went to his Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach on Wednesday
President Trump gives a thumbs up as he returned from a round of golf to his Mar-a-Lago residence
Wednesday marked the first round of golf for Trump at his West Palm Beach Club this season. The president typically spends summer weekends at his golf club in New Jersey and saves his Florida trips for the colder winter weekends.
Trump started his Thanksgiving holiday on Tuesday, when he participated in the annual turkey pardoning at the White House.
He bestowed a presidential pardon on Butter, a bird named at a Christian academy in swing state North Carolina, and praised Butter and the alternate bird Bread as ‘very handsome birds.’
He said the birds were ‘calm under any condition.’
‘They’ve already received subpoenas to appear in Adam Schiff’s basement,’ Trump joked, referring to the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry into his presidency.
Pardoning a turkey is a presidential tradition that dates to the Truman administration.
President Donald J. Trump pardons a turkey named ‘Butter’, next to First Lady Melania Trump and farmer Wellie Jackson, who raised both 2019 National Thanksgiving Turkey candidates at the White House on Tuesday
The pardon of the turkey is a presidential tradition dating back to the Trump administration
Tiffany Trump and her boyfriend Michael Boulos at Tuesday’s turkey pardoning at the White House
After the pardoning, the president, first lady and their 13-year-old son Barron left on Air Force One to Florida, where Trump participated in what his campaign called a ‘homecoming’ rally to celebrate his new Florida residency.
During that rally, the president alleged there is a war on Thanksgiving.
He argued liberals want to change the name of the national holiday – but offered no proof of his charge.
‘As we gather together for Thanksgiving, some people want to change the name Thanksgiving. They don’t want to use the term Thanksgiving,’ he said. ‘People have different ideas watching be called Thanksgiving, but everyone in this room loves Thanksgiving.’
He vowed to protect the tradition.
‘We’re not changing it,’ he said.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump wave as their son Barron looks on as they board Air Force One to head to Florida
Viktor and Amalija Knavs, the parents of First Lady Melania Trump, flew to Florida with the first family
Last year the president said he was most thankful for himself and the difference he made in this country along with his family.
Asked on Thanksgiving Day 2018 to reflect on what he’s ‘most thankful for,’ the president responded: ‘For having a great family and for having made a tremendous difference in this country.’
‘I made a tremendous difference in the country,’ he added. ‘This country so much stronger now than it was when I took office that you won’t believe it. And I mean, you see it, but so much stronger that people can’t even believe it.
He also spoke to the troops last year and visited a local Coast Guard facility to thank the service members stationed there.