President Donald Trump extended his pardon power to both Thanksgiving turkeys — Gobble and Waddle — during a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday, extending the holiday tradition.
During the Rose Garden ceremony, Trump also touched on recent developments for a possible U.S.-brokered peace deal in Ukraine.
“I think we’re getting very close to a deal, we’ll find out,” Trump said. “I thought that one would have been gone quicker … but I think we’re making progress.”
Trump also bashed former President Joe Biden, claiming that Biden used an autopen to sign last year’s turkey pardon and declared those pardons “totally invalid.” He said he had “officially pardoned” the birds, Peach and Blossom, adding that he “saved them in the nick of time.”
First lady Melania Trump’s office had encouraged Americans to text “Gobble” or “Waddle” to 45470 to decide which bird would receive the formal pardon. Earlier this year she also posted a poll on X to name the birds.
