President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand next to the national Thanksgiving turkey, Gobble, during a clemency ceremony in the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP
hide signature
switch signature
Evan Vucci/AP
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump did not inspire much holiday cheer Tuesday when he granted ceremonial pardons to two Thanksgiving turkeys, generating more insults than goodwill in a traditional White House ritual.
He joked about sending turkeys to a notorious prison in El Salvador that was used to hold migrants deported from the United States. He said the birds should be named Chuck and Nancy – after Democratic Party stalwarts Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi – but “I would never forgive those people.”
Trump said President Joe Biden's turkey pardon last year was invalid because he used a fountain pen. “Where's Hunter?” he said, suggesting his predecessor's son could again face legal jeopardy.
And that was all before Trump turned his attention to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat who had resisted White House plans to station the National Guard in Chicago.
Trump said he had a joke prepared about Pritzker, but “I refuse to talk about the fact that he's a fat slob. I don't mention it.”
Scattered laughter rippled through the audience as they sat under overcast skies and occasional drizzle on the Rose Garden patio.
Trump finally got down to business – pardoning the turkeys Gobble and Waddle. Both were relieved of the dinner table, but only one was the center of attention.
“Gobble, I just want to tell you this – it's very important – you are hereby given an unconditional pardon,” Trump said. He reached out and ran his hand through the feathers, saying, “Who would want to harm this beautiful bird?”
Waddle was previously seen in the White House briefing room.
– Waddle, do you want to eat us? White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt asked.
The turkey agreed.
“Very to the point!” Leavitt said.
President Donald Trump pardoned Gobble's Thanksgiving turkey during a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday in Washington.
Julia Demarie Nihinson/AP
hide signature
switch signature
Julia Demarie Nihinson/AP
Trump used part of his ceremonial address to insist that Thanksgiving dinner prices have fallen under his leadership, although his numbers are misleading. Some studies suggest holiday dinners may cost more this year, a reminder of ongoing unease about inflation.
Later Tuesday, the president plans to fly south to his private Florida resort, a vacation break during a tumultuous and uncertain chapter of his second term.
Trump is struggling to push forward with a plan to stop Russia's invasion of Ukraine after an earlier version was sharply criticized by European allies and even some Republicans. The US military is also poised to carry out military strikes on Venezuela, part of an anti-drug operation that could ultimately destabilize the country's leadership.
In Washington, Trump faces the possibility of a split in the Republican coalition ahead of next year's midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Some members of his party have already taken the rare step of accommodating the president, successfully pushing through legislation requiring the Justice Department to release more documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Trump faced a setback in court this week when a federal judge dismissed cases against James Comey and Letitia James, two targets of the president's retaliation campaign.
Comey, the former FBI director whom Trump fired during his first term, was charged with perjury and obstruction of Congress. James, the New York attorney general who investigated the president between his two terms, was indicted on charges of mortgage fraud.
Both have pleaded not guilty and said the prosecution was politically motivated, pointing to Trump's public demands for the Justice Department to punish his enemies.
The judge said the interim U.S. attorney, a former member of Trump's personal legal team who obtained the indictments, was appointed illegally. However, the decision was made without prejudice, so the Justice Department could again try to charge Comey and James.
The White House plans to open for holiday tours. However, despite the arrival of the Christmas tree in a horse-drawn carriage on Monday, this year's presidential residence will be very different.
Trump's decision to demolish the building's east wing to make way for a new ballroom has turned part of the White House grounds into a construction site.
