Biden Celebrates ‘Friendsgiving’ with Troops: ‘Where Am I Supposed to Go?’

President Joe Biden kicked off a new presidential tradition on Monday, celebrating “Friendsgiving” with members of the military on Monday during a trip to Fort Bragg.

Biden is the first president to specifically celebrate “Friendsgiving” with the troops before Thanksgiving day.

Growing in popularity in the 2000s, “Friendsgiving” is a term typically used by Americans who celebrate a meal together with their friends before the Thanksgiving holiday with their families. Others refer to “Friendsgiving” as spending the Thanksgiving holiday with friends instead of family.

Typically, presidents pay a special visit to a military base with the troops on Thanksgiving or host a video conference call with deployed service members overseas.

“We came because we wanted to thank you,” Biden said. “Tell you how much we care, and we wanted you to hear the engine of Air Force One so you couldn’t hear anything.”

About 250 attendees joined the event, including elected officials, service members, and family members of deployed soldiers.

Biden told the troops they are “literally” the finest military force the world has ever seen.

“I’m so damn proud to be associated with you,” he said. “And its hard for me to even say it, but the thing that’s amazing to me is how proud I am to be your commander in chief.”

Biden told the troops in the room that he understood what it was like to miss family members serving overseas, noting his son Beau Biden served overseas for a year in Iraq and also in Kosovo.

“I know how hard it is to have someone who’s not on the table on a holiday that are in harm’s way, that find themselves out of the country,” Biden said.

Biden was introduced by his wife, first lady Jill Biden, who told them they were getting a special dessert of chocolate mousse, noting it was one of the president’s favorites.

“Joe liked his chocolate mouse so much that he was going to make it for everybody tonight, so that’s the special treat,” the first lady said about the dinner, cooked by celebrity chef Robert Irvine.

Biden admitted after he finished speaking that he had no idea what to do next, asking his wife Jill to direct him.

“Where am I supposed to go?” he asked.

The White House