NORFOLK, VA. • President Joe Biden visited naval installations in Virginia on Sunday to kick off the Thanksgiving holiday week, introducing an early screening of the upcoming movie “Wonka” and sharing a “friendsgiving” meal with service members and their relatives.

The president and first lady Jill Biden headed to Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads to introduce the new film center around the early life of Roald Dahl’s fictional eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka. The film will be officially released Dec. 15.

He joked to the many youngsters in the crowd: “I like kids more than adults,” and added “I wish I could stay and watch ‘Wonka’ with you.”

Instead, the Bidens helped serve dinner with service members from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Gerald R. Ford at Norfolk Naval Station, the largest installation of its kind in the world, along with their families. Before departing for dinner, Biden told families during his speech that military are the “literal backbone of this country,” adding, “1% of you, only one” defend “99% of us.”