Biden Turkey Pardon Called ‘Invalid’ by Trump Due to Autopen Use

President Trump returned to a cherished White House tradition Tuesday, pardoning Thanksgiving turkeys “Gobble” and “Waddle” during a ceremony filled with humor, including a playful jab at his predecessor’s pardons.

In a moment that drew laughter from the Rose Garden crowd, Trump jokingly declared that last year’s turkey pardons issued by former President Biden were “null and void” because they had allegedly been authorized with an autopen.

“I wanted to make an important announcement. Because you remember last year, after a thorough and very rigorous investigation by [Attorney General] Pam Bondi and all of the people at Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA, and the White House Counsel’s Office…I have determined that last year’s turkey pardons are totally invalid,” Trump said with theatrical gravity.

He then reassured attendees that “Peach” and “Blossom,” the turkeys pardoned by Biden in 2024, had been saved from the dinner table at the last moment. “They were on their way to be processed, in other words, to be killed. But I’ve stopped that journey, and I am officially pardoning them,” Trump announced.

This year’s pardon recipients—”Waddle” and “Gobble”—made history as the largest turkeys ever pardoned, with both birds weighing over 50 pounds. The names were selected through a public poll conducted on X (formerly Twitter) by First Lady Melania Trump, continuing the tradition of public engagement in the ceremony.

The National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation has been a formal White House tradition since 1947, when President Harry Truman received a turkey from the National Turkey Federation. However, the presidential “pardon” element became a regular feature during George H.W. Bush’s administration in 1989.

After their moment in the national spotlight, the pardoned turkeys will relocate to North Carolina State University, where according to a National Turkey Federation spokeswoman, they will serve as “turkey ambassadors for our industry.” This educational role has become part of the modern tradition, with pardoned turkeys typically living out their days at universities or historical farms.

This year’s turkeys were raised in North Carolina, marking a change from recent years when Minnesota provided the birds. Last year’s “Peach” and “Blossom” and their predecessors “Liberty” and “Bell” all came from Minnesota farms. The turkey-providing honor has rotated among several states over the decades, including Indiana, Iowa, South Dakota, Ohio, California, Virginia, and Missouri.

The ceremony marks the 78th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, a tradition that has evolved from a simple photo opportunity to a lighthearted event that presidents often use to showcase their personality and humor before the Thanksgiving holiday.

While primarily ceremonial, the turkey pardon has become a beloved ritual that offers a moment of bipartisan levity in Washington. Regardless of political affiliation, presidents have embraced the opportunity to participate in this uniquely American tradition that symbolizes the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Turkey production represents a significant sector of American agriculture, with more than 200 million turkeys raised annually in the United States. The National Turkey Federation, which has presented the official Thanksgiving turkey since the tradition’s inception, represents more than 95 percent of U.S. turkey producers.

The ceremony concluded with Trump wishing the nation a happy Thanksgiving, maintaining one of the presidency’s most enduring and light-hearted traditions as Americans prepare for the holiday season.