Vice Presidential Pool Reports of November 26, 2025

Local pool report #1

Good morning from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky where skies are clear and sunny and it's a breezy 47 degrees.

U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is scheduled to arrive at 11am CT at the airfield operations building ahead of the Vice President's visit.

Because Maj. Gen David Gardener, Ft. Campbell's commanding general, is currently deployed in Arizona, Sec. Driscoll is scheduled to do a teleconference with Gen. Gardener when he arrives.

VPOTUS will be joined by his wife, Usha, daughter Mirabel and sons Ewan and Vivek. The second family is scheduled to arrive at 12pm CT and deplane, then serve a Thanksgiving meal to soldiers on post at Warrior Restaurant. VPOTUS is then scheduled to give public remarks around 2:20pm CT.

The U.S. Army post at Ft. Campbell straddles the Tennessee/Kentucky border. DFAC where the thanksgiving meal will take place is located in Kentucky.

In Clarksville outside post gates there's a few signs for Matt Van Epps, the Republican nominee in the special election in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District. Van Epps is an Army veteran who served at Ft. Campbell

Local pool report #2

Brigadier Gen. Travis McIntosh, deputy commanding general for operations at Ft. Campbell, Division Command Sgt. Major Doug Walker, and Mrs. Evie Gardener, Gen. Gardener's wife, all arrived at the airfield operations building at 10:09am CT. They had been scheduled to greet Driscoll on arrival, which was expected just before 11am CT.

They departed the building quickly at about 10:20am CT.

At that time, we were requested by base public affairs not to mention Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll being part of the visit today. Pool was also subsequently told Driscoll would not be visiting Ft. Campbell today.

Pool is now moving to the DFAC where the Vance family is scheduled to meet with service members and serve a Thanksgiving meal in more than an hour.

Pool will no longer be on site for VPOTUS arrival.

Local pool report #3

We're here holding at the Ft. Campbell dining facility, which is located on the Tennessee side of the base.

VPOTUS is expected to land at noon CT and arrive here after a meeting.

An official in the Vice President's office confirmed that VPOTUS will meet with Driscoll while here:

"Vice President and Secretary Driscoll will meet privately at Fort Campbell this afternoon. The Secretary is not planning to participate in the public portions of the Vice President's visit."

Soldiers are beginning to gather at the dining facility. The dining room is decorated with colorful paper leaves, pumpkins and scarecrow centerpieces for Thanksgiving. The 101st Airborne Division Air Assault band is here, and there is a turkey-shaped cake in the middle of the cafeteria.

Local pool update #4

Per an official in the VP's office, Vance has arrived at Ft. Campbell, and is now en route to the Warrior Restaurant/DFAC.

Note: my last update was missing the word "the" at the beginning of the official's quote.

Local pool update #5

The second family began serving thanksgiving lunch at Warrior Restaurant/DFAC at around 12:35pm CT.

VPOTUS greeted soldiers and served mashed potatoes in the hot line with an ice cream scoop alongside Col. Josh Porter, 101st Division Sustainment Brigade Commander.

The Second Lady helped Ewan and Vivek serve rolls and Mirabel serve butter pats to soldiers and their families.

"Thank you for your service, man, happy thanksgiving," VP Vance told one soldier handing him a bowl of potatoes.

The 101st Airborne band's jazz combo is playing. There are several cakes created by Army chefs, including cakes in the shape of a turkey, a cake in the shape of a Bible, and one in the shape of a white cross.

Local pool report #6

VPOTUS and the Second Lady were wrapping up with lunch service at Warrior Restaurant about 1:30pm CT.

Several soldiers brought their children to the lunch.

"Who is this?" VPOTUS asked one smiling over the counter at a little girl about the age of Mirabel Vance, who was wearing a pink dress and matching pink high tops. "How old are you?"

Vance's posed for photos with several soldiers, thanked them for their service, and wished them a happy Thanksgiving.

To one soldier from Ohio he said, "tell me you're a buckeyes fan."

When a third soldier said he was from Fayetteville, NC, Vance said, "I think about half the army is from Fayetteville North Carolina or San Antonio, Texas."

The second family sat down to eat with soldiers around 1:40pm CT. Among those seated at the table with the Vance family are three Army Best Squad Competition winners and two female soldiers from 101st Airborne's Air Assault School.

Local pool report #8

Pool is rolling to the venue where VPOTUS is scheduled to give remarks.

We're told that U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and U.S. Rep. John Rose of Tennessee, who are both running for Governor in 2026, were both invited to the remarks.

We are in place at a Ft. Campbell Hanger #14 awaiting VPOTUS' arrival for remarks.

About 2,000 troops from the 101st Airborne Division are here awaiting VPOTUS. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Rep. John Rose are here. Blackburn is sitting next to Mrs. Evie Gardener, Gen. David Gardener's wife.

A stage is set with a podium with the vice presidential seal and a sign reading "Thanksgiving 2025, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky"

The second family's motorcade has arrived.

To kick off the event, music star Kid Rock came on stage.

"Happy Thanksgiving; or as we say in Detroit, gobble gobble motherf—-s," he said.

Kid Rock thanked the troops for their service, wished them a happy Thanksgiving, and introduced VPOTUS as "someone I do hope to call our 48th President one day."

Please note there is no pool report #7.

Local pool report #10

Speech wrapped at 3:06pm CT.

Couple of speech highlights:

"We don't just want people who mindlessly follow orders—we want people who think," Vance said. "The most lethal weapon in the world is a United States soldier…"

"Who really likes Turkey?" A few soldiers responded. "All of you are full of shit…Who just roasts an 18lb turkey just randomly?"

"I'm actually going to deep fry a turkey myself tomorrow."

VPOTUS motorcade departed for AF2. The second family were on the plane about 3:15pm CT. AF2 departed at 3:25pm CT.

This is the final local pool report. Happy Thanksgiving!