With the Iowa caucuses fewer than 60 days away, the 2024 Presidential candidates are using the Thanksgiving holiday to rile voters up.
Thanksgiving is a day to relax for most Americans where they return home for good food and opportunities to reunite with families. However, the leading presidential candidates have used it as a chance to push for their own interests on the road to 2024.
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Here’s how the presidential candidates spent their holidays.
President Joe Biden
The president followed tradition and retired to Nantucket, Massachusetts, with family. Biden took time to call up several military branches, to deliver pies to the local fire department, and to engage in a family “Polar Bear Plunge.”
“This Thanksgiving, Jill and I spoke with members of our Armed Forces to offer our sincere gratitude for the sacrifices they make every day to protect our freedom,” Biden wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “They’re the best of us.”
Biden also called on Americans to join in unity to move toward solving the various problems that face the U.S. during a call to NBC News’s Al Roker Thursday morning.
Former President Donald Trump
The former president wished his supporters a “Happy Thanksgiving” while bashing his political opponents and those overseeing the various trials he is involved in.
“Happy Thanksgiving to ALL, including the Racist & Incompetent Attorney General of New York State, Letitia ‘Peekaboo’ James, who has let Murder & Violence Crime FLOURISH, & Businesses FLEE,” Trump posted to Truth Social.
Trump also released a video message expressing his gratitude to his family, service members, and to first responders while alluding to his plans for the 2024 election.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R)
Haley’s focus was on family, who she addressed directly. Her husband, Maj. Michael Haley deployed in June alongside the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in the Horn of Africa. Her daughter, Rena, was also not in attendance for the holiday.
“We are missing part of our family today: Michael who is deployed overseas and Rena who is working at the hospital,” Haley wrote on X. “While on this Thanksgiving Day our family is not together in person, we are together in spirit.”
“Thankful for the blessings of faith, family, and country,” Haley added. “Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving! Such a reminder of how blessed we are to live in America.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R)
The Florida governor posted a video to his X account where he vowed to “turn this country around” if elected next year.
“As we get ready to sit down for Thanksgiving dinner with our family this time, we see the problem with our country,” DeSantis said. “We see that we’ve hit the skids in a lot of different ways, but we should be thankful to be Americans.”
“We should be thankful that we live in a country that was founded on principles of human freedom,” he added. “We are going to turn this country around and we’re going to get the job done.”
Tech Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy completed a five-mile run in the Des Moines, Iowa, turkey trot. He also posted a clip to his X account. The clip showed him and his youngest son on the “path less traveled.”
The entrepreneur also spent the afternoon delivering pies to “old friends and new” in Iowa alongside his son, Arjun.
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Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R)
Christie’s messaging was far simpler in comparison. He expressed thankfulness for the holiday and hoped his supporters had the same.
“We hope you have had a great celebration as well. We are thankful for the blessings of family, friends and the chance to live in the freest, bravest country the world has ever known,” Christie said.
