The annual Presidential Turkey Pardon is a beloved American Thanksgiving tradition that has become as familiar as the holiday feast itself.
Every year, the sitting US President ceremoniously “pardons” one or two turkeys, sparing them from becoming part of the holiday meal and sending them off to live out their days on a farm.
This year, President Donald Trump pardoned two North Carolina birds, ‘Gobble’ and ‘Waddle’. Last year, former President Joe Biden pardoned ‘Peach’ and ‘Blossom’.
While the event is light-hearted and often humorous, its history is surprisingly rich and dates back well over a century.
Thanksgiving turkey pardon: The tradition’s unlikely beginning
The tradition of presenting turkeys to the president dates back to the 19th century, with records showing turkeys being gifted to presidents since at least the 1870s.
However, the origins of the pardon itself can be traced to anecdotal stories from the Lincoln administration.
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln’s son Tad grew fond of a turkey named Jack that was intended for the family’s Christmas dinner, according to Presidential Historian Feather Schwartz Foster.
Tad reportedly persuaded his father to spare the bird’s life, effectively creating the first informal turkey pardon.
Years later, presidents would occasionally spare gifted turkeys from the dinner table, but the practice was irregular and not official.
It was during the presidency of John F Kennedy in 1963 that the pardoning took on a more public and ceremonial tone, with Kennedy sending the turkey back to the farm rather than the kitchen, according to the Town & Country magazine.
When did the tradition become a formal event?
The modern annual Presidential Turkey Pardon as a formal event was established by President George H.W. Bush in 1989.
During that year’s ceremony, Bush famously declared that the turkey had been granted a presidential pardon, ensuring the bird would “live out his days on a children’s farm,” according to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
Since then, the event has become a highly anticipated part of White House Thanksgiving celebrations and a fun tradition enjoyed by millions across the country.
The pardoned turkeys have come to serve ambassadors of the American Presidential Thanksgiving culture.