In a Thanksgiving call with members of the military and the media, President Trump said he was most thankful for himself.
The president made the call Thursday from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Newsweek noted that when one reporter asked Trump what he was “most thankful for,” Trump responded: “For having a great family and for having made a tremendous difference in this country. I made a tremendous difference in the country. This country is so much stronger now than it was when I took office that you won’t believe it.”
Trump added: “And I mean, you see it, but so much stronger that people can’t even believe it. When I see foreign leaders, they say we cannot believe the difference in strength between the United States now and the United States two years ago. Made a lot of progress.”
Trump’s Thanksgiving sentiments and schedule were quite different than those of former President Barack Obama. While Trump spent the holiday playing golf at Mar-a-Lago, Obama surprised attendees at a Chicago food bank, where he volunteered.
In his Thanksgiving message, Obama said he was grateful for the future. “I am grateful for the next generation of leaders—the young people who are tolerant, creative, idealistic and doing the work to create the world as it should be. Who understand that hope requires action,” he tweeted.
Earlier this month, Trump deployed 4,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist border authorities with the approaching “migrant caravan,” a group of refugees traveling on foot, seeking asylum from violence in Central America.
During the Thanksgiving call, Trump authorized the military to use lethal force at the border.
He also blasted the federal courts for ruling against his immigration decisions. Trump attempted to prevent migrants who crossed the border illegally from seeking asylum, but a judge issued a temporary restraining order against the policy. “It’s a terrible thing when judges take over your protective services, when they tell you how to protect your border. It’s a disgrace,” said Trump.
