Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon Tradition Continues

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump carried on the long-standing White House tradition by pardoning two turkeys named Gobble and Waddle. This event is part of a ritual that has been around for more than 35 years.

The Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon has its roots in the 1940s, emerging from the National Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway where the National Turkey Federation would present a live turkey to the sitting president for Thanksgiving.

The first official turkey pardon is often attributed to President John F. Kennedy, who in 1963 famously expressed intentions to let the turkey “grow.” Interestingly, he didn’t actually use the term “pardon,” but the Los Angeles Times nonetheless reported it as such.

Reagan also has some memorable moments; in 1987, he jokingly responded to a reporter about a turkey named Charlie, implying he would have granted a pardon had he received different information.

However, the practice of formally pardoning turkeys was solidified during George H.W. Bush’s administration. It was then that the term “pardon” was first used, and it has continued every Thanksgiving since.

In a humorous note, Bush told the turkey at his 1989 pardon, “You and this fine tom-turkey will not be on anyone’s table,” reassuring it of a future on a children’s farm nearby.

This year, Gobble and Waddle each weighed in at 50 and 52 pounds and made the trip from North Carolina to Washington’s Willard Intercontinental Hotel for the ceremony. Post-pardon, they’ll be heading to North Carolina State University’s Prestige School of Poultry Science.

During the ceremony, President Trump also made light of the situation, pointing out that he believed President Biden’s 2024 pardon was done using an autopen, claiming it was “totally null and void.” In good humor, Trump added that he had “narrowly saved” the turkeys, further contributing to the light-hearted atmosphere of the event.