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Vance Jokes That Anyone Who Claims to Like Turkey Is 'Full of S—' While Serving Troops

Vice President Vance joked to troops at Fort Campbell that anyone who claims to truly like turkey is "full of s—," arguing most people only roast the bird for Thanksgiving. He said he plans to deep-fry a turkey, praised soldiers for thinking independently rather than "mindlessly" following orders, and relayed a message of gratitude from President Trump. Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance served a Thanksgiving meal to service members, and the visit followed the White House turkey-pardoning of Gobble and Waddle.

07:25 AM, 11/28/2025Politics

Vice President Vance used a Thanksgiving-themed visit to Fort Campbell, Ky., to poke fun at the bird most associated with the holiday, telling service members Wednesday that anyone who says they genuinely like turkey is "full of s—."

Speaking to troops, Vance challenged the room: "Think about turkey. Who really likes … be honest with yourself, who really likes turkey?" When several raised their hands, he added bluntly, "You are all full of s—. Everybody who raised your hands."

He elaborated on the joke, noting that few people roast a large 18-pound turkey except for special occasions. "How many times do you roast an 18-pound turkey just randomly? Just, you know, a nice summer afternoon — we're going to go get an 18-pound turkey," he said. "Nobody does it because turkey doesn’t actually taste that good. But on Thanksgiving, one of the most American holidays … we’re going to cook a turkey by God, because that’s what Americans do. We cook this gigantic American bird and we do all kinds of crazy things to make it taste good."

Vance mentioned his own plan to deep-fry a turkey for the holiday and conceded, "chicken is good all the time." He also framed Thanksgiving as a time of gratitude: "Here’s the thing about Thanksgiving: It is so American because the heart of it is the spirit of gratitude."

The vice president used the visit to thank service members for their work and emphasized the importance of thoughtful leadership in the military. Referencing remarks from President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he said, "We don’t just want people who mindlessly follow orders. We want people who think," and called a U.S. soldier "the most powerful weapon anywhere in the world." He added that the administration is proud of the troops and will stand behind them.

Vance also delivered a message from the president: "The president is proud of our soldiers and he’s proud of every single one of you. So, from the president of the United States, he just wanted to make sure that you knew he wished you a happy Thanksgiving and he’s grateful for all you do."

During the visit, the vice president and Second Lady Usha Vance, joined by their children, served service members a Thanksgiving meal of mashed potatoes and dinner rolls.

The trip came a day after the White House's annual turkey-pardoning ceremony, where the president granted clemency to turkeys named Gobble and Waddle and quipped about the validity of former President Biden’s pardons because of his reported use of an autopen.

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Vance Jokes That Anyone Who Claims to Like Turkey Is 'Full of S—' While Serving Troops - CRBC News