Half of Americans say they want to avoid discussing politics at Thanksgiving, an Emerson College survey revealed.
The survey asked respondents, “If you are visiting with family or friends this Thanksgiving, are you looking forward to discussing politics, or are you hoping to avoid discussing politics?”
Just over half, 50.7 percent, said they are hoping to avoid discussing politics this Thanksgiving with friends or family. However, one-third said they are looking forward to discussing politics, followed by 16.3 percent who simply said they are not spending Thanksgiving with friends or family anyway.
The survey also asked, “When it comes to Thanksgiving, are you happy eating turkey as the main course, or would you rather eat something else?” Three-quarters said they are “happy eating turkey as main course,” while about one-quarter said they would prefer something else.
The survey was taken November 3-4, 2025. It has a +/-3 percent margin of error.
It coincides with the results of a recent YouGov survey, which found that 31 percent of Americans believe it is “very or somewhat likely they’ll discuss politics” at Thanksgiving. This includes 31 percent of Republicans, 26 percent of independents, and 37 percent of Democrats. However, like the Emerson poll, this one found that half say it is not very likely or not at all likely that they will discuss politics during the holiday.
More via YouGov:
19% of Democrats and 9% of Republicans think there will be arguments about politics at their Thanksgiving celebration this year. But most Americans with a preferred 2024 candidate also expect to be celebrating mostly with like-minded people.
Among Americans who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, 45% think almost all of the people who will be attending their Thanksgiving celebration also supported her. 18% think more of their fellow Thanksgiving attendees supported Harris than supported Donald Trump, and 10% think equal shares supported both candidates.
Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, President Donald Trump participated in the annual turkey pardon and actually pardoned four turkeys, joking that former President Joe Biden used an autopen in the pardons last year.
“So I have the official duty to determine, and I have determined, that last year’s turkey pardons are totally invalid, as are the pardons of about every other person that was pardoned,” Trump said.
“The turkeys known as Peach and Blossom last year have been located, and they were on their way to be processed, in other words, to be killed,” he added. “But I have stopped that journey, and I am officially pardoning them, and they will not be served for Thanksgiving dinner.”
