In a time-honored White House tradition, President Donald Trump pardoned two Thanksgiving turkeys, named Gobble and Waddle, in a ceremony held in the Rose Garden on Tuesday. With First Lady Melania Trump at his side, President Trump granted the turkeys a "full and unconditional pardon," ensuring they would be spared from becoming Thanksgiving dinner.
The annual turkey pardoning ceremony, a blend of humor and symbolism, has become a light-hearted moment in the lead-up to Thanksgiving. While the exact origins of the tradition remain somewhat unclear, the modern ritual of a presidential pardon dates back to President George H.W. Bush in 1989.
This year's turkeys, Gobble and Waddle, weighing in at 52 and 50 pounds respectively, were raised by Travis Pittman and his family at Nahunta Community Farms in Kenly, North Carolina. Pittman, a contract grower for Butterball, typically raises flocks of around 19,000 turkeys. He noted that Gobble and Waddle were particularly friendly, always the first to approach him each day. The Pittman family prepared the turkeys for their White House debut, ensuring they were comfortable with crowds and handling.
Prior to the ceremony, Gobble and Waddle received VIP treatment, staying at the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington D.C.. Waddle even made an appearance in the White House press briefing room.
During the Rose Garden ceremony, attended by members of the Cabinet, representatives from the National Turkey Federation, and Butterball CEO Jay Jandrain, President Trump injected his characteristic humor into the event. He joked about potentially naming the turkeys Chuck and Nancy, after Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, but quipped that he "would never pardon those two people". He also took the opportunity to criticize his predecessor, claiming that former President Joe Biden's turkey pardons were invalid and "re-pardoning" those turkeys. Trump also made a jab at Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Following the pardoning, Gobble and Waddle will retire to North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where they will live under the care of poultry experts and students. The National Turkey Federation confirmed that both birds would "live out their days" at the university.
While Gobble was the official National Thanksgiving Turkey, Waddle served as the alternate. Some concerns arose when Waddle was not initially present during the Rose Garden ceremony. President Trump addressed the situation, noting that Waddle was "missing in action". However, it was later clarified that Waddle had simply assumed his role as the alternate turkey and was unharmed.
The National Turkey Federation donated 1,500 turkey breasts to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.
