Lisa Ballentine’s four adult children haven’t spent the holidays with her since she voted for Donald Trump in 2020.
“All the political stuff came up, and our family just has been so fractured,” Ballentine, a 56-year-old resident of Naples, Florida, told USA TODAY.
Those tensions are beginning to subside this year, as three of her four children agreed to join the family Thanksgiving at Ballentine’s mother-in-law’s house in Tennessee. Political opinions won’t be allowed at the table, but that may be easier said than done.
Ballentine’s family isn’t alone. This Thanksgiving, as Americans travel far and wide to break bread with loved ones, many will be navigating – or trying to avoid – heated discussions over politics and debates dividing the country amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Scroll for a rundown of the latest headlines about the Israel and Hamas war from the USA TODAY Network. If you’d like to sign up to receive this weekday briefing in your inbox, sign up here.
