President Donald Trump pardoned four turkeys on Tuesday at the White House, joking that former President Joe Biden used an autopen in the 2024 pardons, rendering them invalid.
Trump ribbed the previous administration near the top of his remarks in the Rose Garden at the annual turkey pardon. He joked that after an investigation conducted by Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI, and the CIA, it was determined that “Peach” and “Blossom” did not receive legitimate pardons last year.
“So I have the official duty to determine, and I have determined, that last year’s turkey pardons are totally invalid, as are the pardons of about every other person that was pardoned,” he said, adding that Hunter Biden’s pardon was the lone legitimate one in his estimation.
“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,” he added, drawing laughs from those in attendance. “But I have stopped that journey, and I am officially pardoning them, and they will not be served for Thanksgiving dinner.”
Trump also jested that, upon seeing photos of “Gobble” and “Waddle,” this year’s turkeys, he wanted to name them after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
“I was going to call them Chuck and Nancy, but then I realized I wouldn’t be pardoning them. I would never pardon those two people,” he said, to more laughs from those in attendance.
Trump ceremonially pardoned “Gobble” and “Waddle” after his remarks.
“Gobble, I just want to tell you this, very important, you are hereby unconditionally pardoned!” Trump declared as the turkey let out a loud gobble.
The turkeys made their way into the White House press briefing room ahead of the ceremony, where press secretary Karoline Leavitt was on hand with her son, Nico.
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