President Trump dished out pardons for two North Carolina turkeys, Gobble and Waddle, taking part in the 78th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation at the White House on Tuesday.
Gobble is this year’s National Thanksgiving Turkey, while Waddle is the alternate, but both will be spared from the Thanksgiving table.
The president joked that he considered naming the turkeys Chuck and Nancy, seemingly after Democratic Senate Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, but that he would “never pardon them.”
Mr. Trump also joked that President Biden’s pardons last year of turkeys Peach and Blossom were actually invalid due to Mr. Biden’s use of the autopen.
“The turkeys known as Peach and Blossom last year have been located, and they were on their way to be processed, in other words, to be killed,” he said. “But I have stopped that journey, and I am officially pardoning them, and they will not be served for Thanksgiving dinner.”
“We saved them in the nick of time,” he said.
Mr. Trump called this year’s turkeys a “handsome” duo and boasted about their size.
The two were hatched in July and traveled to Washington this week. Gobble weighs a whopping 52 pounds, and Waddle comes in at 50 pounds.
Mr. Trump walked over and pardoned Gobble, who was being handled by the National Turkey Federation’s chairman, Jay Jandrain, also the CEO of Butterball. He said Waddle was “missing in action” because he was not present in the Rose Garden.
Gobble gobbled his thanks as the president issued his “unconditional pardon” to the big bird.
The duo spent the night before the pardon in luxury at the Willard InterContinental Hotel near the White House. Afterward, they’ll head back to North Carolina and spend the rest of their days as turkey ambassadors at North Carolina State University.
Leslee Oden, the president and CEO of the National Turkey Federation, told reporters ahead of the pardoning that Gobble and Waddle had a “wonderful life living on the farm,” as she introduced Waddle to the media.
She joked that two birds “got into the minibar” at the hotel, where they received a red-carpet welcome and did over 20 news interviews.
Turkeys had been pardoned sporadically throughout history before former President George H.W. Bush held the first official pardoning in 1989.
The event on Tuesday veered from turkey pardons to Mr. Trump touting administration successes, such as lower consumer costs and his tough-on-crime policies at the border and in American cities.
He slammed Chicago and called on Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, “a big fat slob,” to allow the administration to bring troops into the city.
“So, Governor Pritzker, if you’re listening, let’s get your act together; invite us in,” he said.
Mr. Trump said he wanted to lose a few pounds, but that it wouldn’t happen on Thanksgiving, while he made clear he wouldn’t be indulging in Gobble or Waddle.
“I hope all Americans will have the chance to enjoy the fellowship of family and friends and renew our faith in God’s providence,” he said.
