Donald Trump re-pardons turkeys for Thanksgiving following autopen scandal
President Trump has pardoned two turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving - well, technically he's had to re-pardon them, claiming there was an issue with last year's proceedings.
According to Britannica, the myth of the original turkey pardon originates back to 1863, when a turkey set to be slaughtered at the White House was spared after Abraham Lincoln's son pleaded with his father to free the bird.
Over the years, many other presidents followed suit with similar ceremonial pardons, and in 1989 George W Bush made it more of a formalised tradition, with the turkeys spending a night at a luxury hotel before the big day.
This year, two turkeys named Waddle and Gobble were told by President Donald Trump that it was their 'lucky day'.
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The enormous animals weighed in at around 50lbs each at the 78th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington DC.
He was joined by First Lady Melania Trump for the ceremony, which saw Trump joke that his predecessor's pardons were 'void and vacant', claiming Joe Biden signed them all with an 'autopen' - a mechanical device used to replicate a signature, which Trump has previously claimed his opponent used for various executive actions and orders.
Trump said officials examined 'a terrible situation caused by a man named Sleepy Joe Biden... he used an autopen last year for the turkey’s pardon.'
He continued: “So I have determined that last year’s turkey pardons are totally invalid."
Trump pointed out the 'new beautiful patio with matching stone to the White House', which he had arranged to be installed.
He gestured to it, saying: “If this were grass today, you’d be sinking into the mud like they’ve done for many years, and you would be very unhappy.”
“This is a big day, it’s a Pardon Day, for a very important beast.
“On behalf of the First Lady and the entire Trump family, I want to wish all Americans a very very happy Thanksgiving.”
He battled against the noisy turkeys who could be heard interrupting his speeches with their vocal noises.
“That’s a well-trained turkey! Today we continue a time-honored American tradition… in a few moments I will grant a full absolute and unconditional presidential pardon to two handsome Thanksgiving turkeys," Trump said, adding: “This is their lucky day."
As well as saying Joe Biden's turkey pardons were 'invalid', to laughter he said: “As are the pardons of about every other person that was pardoned other than – ah, where’s Hunter? No, Hunter’s was good, that was the one pardon that was good, the rest of them are all invalid.”
“They are hereby null and void,” he added.
“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.
“But I’ve 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.
“The turkeys being pardoned today go by the names Gobble and Waddle, these are two of the largest turkeys ever presented to an American president, over 50lbs each, that’s the largest we’ve ever had.”
Eyeing them up warily he asked the farmer if they would 'attack' him, and joked that Gobble 'looks like a rather violent bird'.
“Beautiful, who would want to harm this beautiful bird?” he quizzed.
Turning to Gobble, he went on: "Gobble, I just want to tell you, this is very important: you are hereby unconditionally pardoned.
"Waddle, by the way, is missing in action, but that's okay," and it was later confirmed that Waddle was safe.
Topics: US Food
Jen Thomas