Giving Thanks for America

Like so many families, the Pompeos have a tradition of going around the Thanksgiving table and reflecting on what we’ve been particularly thankful for that year. Number one is always family – and of all the blessings that 2025 brought for Susan and me, nothing comes close to the birth of our first grandchild, Jack, who is truly the light of our lives.

I also find myself once again in awe of the incredible opportunities and experiences I have had in my life – none of which would have been possible had I not been born in America. We may celebrate America on Independence Day, but in my opinion, Thanksgiving should also be an occasion to express our gratitude for all that this country has made possible.

While the holiday of Thanksgiving has its roots in the earliest days of the American colonies, it was not proclaimed a national holiday until 1863. Just a few months after the Union and Confederate armies met on the fields of Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln wanted to unite all Americans around a shared expression of gratitude. For the many Americans personally grieving loved ones lost to the war, that might have seemed like a tall order. That is precisely the reason President Lincoln, in his wisdom, saw fit to remind the country of the blessings they were fighting to preserve for all Americans.

We hear a lot about political polarization in our country – and certainly, the rise in violent rhetoric and political violence is a trend we must all do our part to defeat. But in many ways, polarization has been a default setting throughout our country’s history. Provided that these differences are expressed peacefully, through speech and at the ballot box, “polarization” can actually be a good thing. Who wouldn’t prefer dynamic political debate to lifeless consensus? (Incidentally, if you ever want to feel a bit better about the current state of our political discourse, take a look at some of the awful things our Founding Fathers said about each other.)

That uniquely American dynamism originating in our fierce defense of free speech is something I give thanks for every day. As Secretary of State, I had the privilege of representing America in some of the least free nations on Earth, including North Korea. I’ve seen up close what happens to societies that do not possess our First Amendment rights, and I’ll never take for granted those fundamental freedoms to speak, worship, and live as we see fit.

As we give thanks for those liberties, we must also remember our brothers and sisters who are not as fortunate. I know that this Thanksgiving I will be praying for the safe return of all of the hundreds of children and staff abducted from a Catholic school in Nigeria, and for the persecuted Christians in Nigeria, China, Nicaragua, and beyond.

I will also be giving special thanks for the return of the Israeli hostages from captivity in Gaza, and for the strong partnership between the United States and Israel that made their release possible by degrading the power of Hamas and its backers in Tehran. Thanks to Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump, we now have a real opportunity for peace in the region, provided we remain committed to disempowering Hamas and further weakening Iran. If we can do that, I have no doubt that this time next year we will be reflecting on a region that has undergone a truly positive transformation.

President Trump’s bold action to destroy Iran’s nuclear program has gone a long way toward restoring the deterrence lost under the previous Administration – and for that, we should all be thankful. It is my most fervent hope that we continue to build upon that achievement by ensuring that Ukraine is not pressured into accepting a settlement to the war that compromises its sovereignty, threatens its security, or emboldens would-be aggressors.

In his Thanksgiving proclamation, President Lincoln wrote: “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.” May we remain ever mindful of His blessings and strive to live up to our values at home and abroad – and may God continue to bless America.