Why turkeys get pardoned by US presidents every year on Thanksgiving

Here's decoding why the US President pardons turkeys every Thanksgiving, how the tradition began, and how the modern White House ceremony evolved over the decades

Americans eat an estimated 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving every year, which is considered a staple meal on the occasion. However, a select pair are spared each year through one of the country’s most light-hearted presidential traditions: the annual White House turkey-pardon ceremony.

 

The practice has become a cultural fixture, prompting the same question each November - why does the US President pardon turkeys at all?

How did the tradition begin?

 

The modern version of the ceremony dates back to 1989, when President George HW Bush formally established it as a regular event. Although earlier presidents, including John F Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, had shown mercy to gifted birds, Bush’s declaration transformed the gesture into a public ritual.

 

In 1963, Kennedy received a 55-pound white turkey with a sign reading “Good eating, Mr President”. Although he did not use the term “pardon", he chose to let the bird live. “We’ll just let this one grow,” he said, before sending it back to its California farm.

 

Its roots, however, trace back much further. According to the White House Historical Association, President Abraham Lincoln is often credited with granting the first unofficial pardon in 1863 when his son Tad pleaded for the life of a turkey sent as a gift. Lincoln agreed, which many consider the symbolic origin of today’s ceremony.

How did the ceremony unfold this year?

 

This year, US President Donald Trump presided over the event, adding his trademark humour and political jabs as he spared two turkeys named Waddle and Gobble. “Gobble, I just want to tell you, this is very important: you are hereby unconditionally pardoned,” Trump declared. 

 

  He joked that the birds were “over 50 pounds each” and labelled them the first ever “MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) turkeys”.

 

Before their White House appearance, Waddle and Gobble were hosted at the Willard Intercontinental, a luxury hotel in Washington. As with previous pardoned birds, they will now return to North Carolina rather than appear on a Thanksgiving platter.

 

Trump last conducted the turkey-pardon ceremony in November 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. That year, he spared two turkeys named Corn and Cobb. 

  Do pardoned turkeys live long lives?

 

Not typically. Despite the symbolic mercy, birds selected for the ceremony are bred for consumption and have short lifespans. The National Turkey Federation, which supplies the birds annually, notes that pardoned turkeys rarely live beyond two years.

Is the White House the only place where turkeys are pardoned?

 

No. Governors across several US states conduct their own versions of the ceremony, often featuring playfully named turkeys. These state-level events contribute to the light-hearted atmosphere surrounding the holiday, which is otherwise rooted in themes of gratitude and reflection.