Kid Rock Delivers Thanksgiving Speech To U.S. Troops

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Kid Rock Delivers Thanksgiving Speech (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Kid Rock has always been vocal about his appreciation for the United States. He has previously said that patriotic themes “just come out” in his music, although it isn’t always something he plans deliberately.

“The message of patriotism in my music has just always been there, and I don’t know if it’s been on purpose. I guess it’s not really something I think about. It’s just what comes out when I’m writing. What I feel, what I see, what I experience. That’s what comes out on a piece of paper and usually into a song,” he said during a May 2025 interview with Fox News.

Over the course of his career, Kid Rock has also performed many shows for United States service members on active duty. 

In December 2009, Kid Rock, along with the Twisted Brown Trucker Band, kicked off a “Tour for the Troops” at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.

“I think this is the least we can do, especially for people like me who enjoy every freedom available to me in the good old USA,” the singer said at the time. “I feel very strongly about freedom and the people who protect it and serve for it and do it so unselfishly. It’s literally the least I could do.”

On the 9th anniversary of September 11, Kid Rock headlined a “Salute the Troops” concert at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, a special show for service‑members and their families.

Kid Rock
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Kid Rock Joins Vice President JD Vance For Thanksgiving Speech

On Wednesday (November 26), just one day before Thanksgiving, Kid Rock joined Vice President JD Vance to speak to U.S. troops at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

The singer thanked the troops for their service, sharing a message about sacrifice, gratitude, and what holidays mean for those serving away from home.

“I don’t think you understand sometimes how much you effect every day people,” Kid Rock said. “Not just by your service to our country and protecting us and everything else you do unselfishly.”

He shared a story about teaching his son a lesson through his time traveling abroad and performing for troops, and later introduced Vance up on the stage, thanking him for being a “normal” human being in politics.

“Thank you tremendously for your service, especially those who can’t spend it with their loves ones this year,” Kid Rock said.

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About the Author

Carli Eastwood

Hi, I’m Carli! From a very young age, I’ve had a passion for country music and storytelling. I earned my degree in journalism and have spent many years reporting and writing for political and entertainment news. When I'm not writing, you can find me at a country concert, exploring new coffee shops, or traveling with…

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