President Trump Pardons Two Turkeys at the White House

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump addressed a crowd while standing next to two turkeys. The birds, named Gobble and Waddle, received pardons after Americans participated in an online vote to determine which turkey would be honored this year.

The turkey pardon has become a cherished tradition at the White House, tracing back to President Abraham Lincoln’s time, which feels like ages ago—about 35 years, to be exact.

The first official pardon took place in 1989 during the presidency of George H.W. Bush, although the ceremony had been happening informally for years prior. As noted by the White House Historical Association, it has since become something of an annual custom.

In Bush’s first official pardon, he humorously assured the crowd, saying, “This fine tom-turkey will not be anyone’s dinner; instead, he gets a presidential pardon. He can live out his days on a children’s farm nearby.”

Trump added a personal touch during the ceremony, critiquing Biden’s previous pardon, claiming, “He used an autopen for the turkey pardon last year. So, I’ve taken it upon myself to declare last year’s pardon entirely invalid.” It certainly adds a layer of drama to the holiday.

Before formal pardoning began, turkeys had long benefitted from presidential protection—albeit unofficially. This practice started with Lincoln’s young son, Tad. Reportedly, in 1863, Lincoln had received a turkey intended for Christmas dinner, but Tad, then eight, fervently pleaded with his father to spare the bird, affectionately named Jack.

Lincoln, faced with his son’s heartfelt argument, ultimately penned a reprieve for the turkey on a card. Before Bush, no president had formally issued a pardon, although Ronald Reagan was the first to use the term “pardon” when he saved a turkey named Charlie during his presidency.

Reagan even drew parallels with the Iran-Contra scandal, quipping that had he received a different answer about Charlie’s fate, he would have perhaps rushed to save him too.

In the years that followed, turkeys became fixtures in White House ceremonies, but the official pardoning custom truly gained traction recently. For instance, in 2024, President Biden acknowledged two pardoned turkeys, remarking on their calm demeanor throughout the event.

Going back a bit, John F. Kennedy expressed intentions to spare a turkey during a Thanksgiving gathering, though it was labeled as “amnesty” at the time, yet again without any formal declaration. Truman was presented with a turkey during a ceremony, although no records indicate he let it go. Eisenhower, on the flip side, opted to eat several turkeys given to him by a national organization.

While presidential turkeys have been a part of Thanksgiving for decades, it’s the formal pardoning that has really stood out in more recent traditions. It seems that, perhaps, the annual pardon continues to embody that blend of whimsy and holiday spirit—capturing a moment where the formal meets the light-hearted.