How the White House turkey pardon became an American tradition
In a festive ceremony held in the Rose Garden, President Donald Trump continued the long-standing White House tradition of Thanksgiving turkey pardoning by officially pardoning two turkeys named Gobble and Waddle on Tuesday. This event, which has been a staple of American Thanksgiving celebrations for over 35 years, traces its roots back to the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation of the 1940s, when the National Turkey Federation began presenting live turkeys to the sitting president. Although President John F. Kennedy is often credited with initiating the practice of turkey pardoning in 1963—when he famously remarked he would “let this one grow”—it was George H.W. Bush in 1989 who formally established the tradition, using the term “pardon” and ensuring that the turkeys would live out their days on a farm rather than ending up on a dinner table.
This year, Gobble and Waddle, weighing in at 50 and 52 pounds respectively, traveled from North Carolina to participate in the ceremony. Following the pardoning, both turkeys are set to retire at North Carolina State University’s Prestage Department of Poultry Science, where they will live out their lives away from the dinner plate. In a light-hearted twist, Trump also took the opportunity to poke fun at former President Joe Biden, suggesting that Biden’s pardoning of the 2024 turkeys was invalid due to the use of an autopen. Trump humorously claimed that he had also pardoned those turkeys, asserting he had “saved them in the nick of time.”
The turkey pardoning ceremony is not just a whimsical event; it symbolizes a moment of levity and gratitude during the Thanksgiving season. Over the years, it has evolved into a beloved tradition that reflects the lighter side of the presidency. From Reagan’s playful quips about his turkey pardoning to Bush’s heartfelt assurances about the fate of the pardoned turkeys, each president has added their unique flavor to this annual event. As the nation prepares to celebrate Thanksgiving, the pardoning of Gobble and Waddle serves as a reminder of the holiday’s spirit of compassion and the joy of family gatherings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdRgpiWR7fY
President
Donald Trump
pardoned two turkeys Tuesday — Gobble and Waddle — as part of an
annual tradition
that has occurred at the White House for more than 35 years.
The
Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning
is a ceremony originating from the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation that started dating back to the 1940s, when the National Turkey Federation would present the president with a live turkey for Thanksgiving.
President John F. Kennedy
is often credited with pardoning the first turkey in 1963, when he said that he would “let this one grow.” Although Kennedy didn’t use the word “pardon,” the L.A. Times reported on the matter with the headline, “Turkey gets presidential pardon,” according to an NBC News archive.
President Ronald Reagan
also made a joke about pardoning that year’s turkey, Charlie, in response to a question from a reporter, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum.
TRUMP JOKES THAT BIDEN TURKEY PARDON IN 2024 ‘INVALID’ DUE TO AUTOPEN
“If they’d given me a different answer on Charlie and his future, I would have
pardoned him
,” Reagan said in 1987.
However, the tradition was codified during
George H.W. Bush’s administration
as an annual tradition, according to the White House Historical Association. Bush used the word pardon, and the tradition continued each year afterward.
“But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy — he’s presented a presidential pardon as of right now — and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here,” Bush said in 1989.
Gobble and Waddle clocked in at 50 pounds and 52 pounds each, and traveled from North Carolina to the Washington’s Willard InterContinental Hotel for the annual tradition. Following the pardoning, they will head to North Carolina State University’s Prestage Department of Poultry Science.
During the ceremony in the Rose Garden, Trump also took aim at former President
Joe Biden
, and said that Biden used the autopen to pardon the 2024 turkeys, and as a result those pardons were “totally invalid.”
As a result, Trump quipped that he had pardoned those turkeys too, and said that he “saved them in the nick of time.”
