Trump thanks US troops overseas in Thanksgiving message

Miami, Nov 24 (IANS) The President of the US delivered a Thanksgiving message on Thursday in which he thanked American troops deployed in missions abroad for their sacrifice and heroism.

Donald Trump spoke via videoconference from his Florida residence with soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait and on the USS Monterey guided missile cruiser at sea with the Fifth Fleet, telling them US troops are inflicting "defeat after defeat" on the Islamic State terror organisation, Efe news agency reported.

The President also accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of not unleashing the US military's full potential.

"They say we've made more progress against (the IS) than they did in years of the previous administration," Trump told a lieutenant colonel stationed at a US Air Force base in Turkey. "And that's because I'm letting you do your job."

Trump, who is celebrating Thanksgiving Day with his family at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, told the troops that when they return to the US they would come home to a strong economy.

"You're gonna see with the jobs and companies coming back into our country ... you're fighting for something real. You're fighting for something good," he said.

After the videoconference, the President visited a nearby Coast Guard station and met with around 50 officers.

He praised the Coast Guard's work in saving some 16,000 lives in Texas during Hurricane Harvey and in helping Puerto Rico recover from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Trump also highlighted the strong US economy at the Coast Guard station, noting that stock market indices are at record highs and that the unemployment rate is at its lowest point in 17 years.