First lady Melania Trump and second lady Usha Vance visited Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River on Wednesday to meet with service members and their families ahead of Thanksgiving. The visit was their first public appearance together without their husbands, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, 10 months into their administration.
.@FLOTUS at Camp Lejeune: "Last week, the @USMC celebrated 250 years of service — two-and-a-half centuries of courage, tradition, and excellence. To you and your families who give so much for our country, thank you." pic.twitter.com/1DVGPYTW1h
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 19, 2025
Camp Lejeune, and the nearby Marine Corps Air Station, are in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Camp Lejeune is the largest Marine Corps base on the East Coast and is a frequent destination for officials meeting with military families and service members.
Trump and Vance visited Lejeune High School on the Marine Corps Base, where they joined students in small group discussions about artificial intelligence and ongoing research into social media. The conversations aligned with Trump’s recent initiative, aiming to bring AI innovation and education into the classroom nationwide.
Trump also delivered brief remarks, thanking families for their service and extending holiday wishes.
“I want to thank you, all of you, because you are military families behind our nation’s defense, and thank you for your service,” she said. “My husband, the president, is sending best regards. We are both thinking of you, and you’re in our thoughts and prayers for holidays, every day, but especially for the holidays.”
Earlier in the visit, Trump and Vance spent over an hour at DeLalio Elementary School. They sat with students as they colored and made crafts and spoke with teachers about classroom programs and support for young learners.
The visit concluded with formal remarks in an aircraft hangar before a crowd of service members and their families.
Vance opened her speech by noting the personal significance of visiting the region where her husband served as a Marine.
“For me, it is particularly special to be around the corner from Cherry Point, where my husband JD was stationed,” Vance said. “He has told me so many stories about his time in eastern North Carolina that this feels like home. And of course, it’s only a few days late but I have a message to all of you from JD, happy birthday!”
She went on to disucss her focus on child literacy and school quality, referencing her visit to the base’s schools earlier in the day.
“Today I’ve had the privilege of spending time with your families at the elementary and high schools on base,” Vance said to the crowd of service members. “At a time when children around the country are struggling it is so heartening to see thriving schools and engaged students.”
Trump spoke next, emphasizing concerns about artificial intelligence in both the military and the classroom.
“AI will alter war more profoundly than any technology since nuclear weapons,” she said. “To win the AI war, we must train our next generation, for its America’s students who will lead the Marine Corps in the future. Lejeune High School demonstrated today that it’s ready to lead.”
She closed her remarks by expressing gratitude to service members and military families as the holiday approaches.
“As Thanksgiving approaches, families across America will come together, but for many of you, someone you love will be serving far from home” Trump said. “Please know that our nation is thinking of you, praying for you, and deeply grateful for your service. To every service member thank you for standing, standing watch so that others can celebrate in peace. and to every military spouse and child, thank you for your strength and love you serve our country too.”
The joint appearance highlighted the administration’s attention to military families during the holiday season. It also underscored the future of artificial intelligence and education, both themes that the first and second ladies intend to continue addressing.
