U.S. President Joe Biden presided over the final turkey pardon ceremony of his tenure on the 25th (local time), ahead of Thanksgiving, stating, "It has been the honor of my lifetime. I will be forever grateful."
U.S. President Joe Biden (right) pardons a turkey alongside John Zimmerman, president of the National Turkey Federation, and his son Grant at an event held in the South Lawn of the White House on the 25th (local time). Photo by EPA
According to ABC News and others, President Biden attended the turkey pardon ceremony held on the South Lawn of the White House on this day, ahead of Thanksgiving on the 28th. He said, "This event officially marks the beginning of the year-end holiday season," adding, "As president, this is also my last time giving a speech and expressing gratitude here."
President Biden urged, "I hope this time allows you to step away from your busy daily lives and focus on what matters most?family." He also said, "My father used to say, 'Family is the beginning, the middle, and the end,'" emphasizing the importance of gratitude by stating, "We should be thankful for our friends, neighbors, and the blessing of living in the greatest country on Earth, the United States. This is no exaggeration." He continued, "No matter the circumstances, as Americans, we do not give up," stressing, "We keep moving forward and hold on to our faith."
The official White House turkey pardon ceremony originated in 1947 when then-President Harry Truman received a turkey as a gift from the National Turkey Federation. Since 1989, under President George H.W. Bush, it has been held annually as an official presidential event. Unofficially, the tradition is said to have started during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, when his son received a turkey as a gift and Lincoln spared it instead of eating it. In the U.S., it is a tradition for the whole family to gather and eat roast turkey on Thanksgiving, which falls on the fourth Thursday of November each year.
The two turkeys pardoned this year were named "Peach" and "Blossom" after the peach blossom, the state flower of Delaware, President Biden’s political home state. Introducing Peach, President Biden joked that the turkey’s life motto is "Keep calm and gobble on," a parody of the World War II British motto "Keep calm and carry on." Regarding Blossom, he remarked, "No cheating, and Minnesota is just being kind."
After the pardon, the two turkeys will return to Wacata, Minnesota, to spend the rest of their lives as "agricultural ambassadors." They hatched in July and, following tradition, came to Washington, D.C. for the pardon ceremony, where they were treated to a suite at the Willard InterContinental Hotel. Previously, President Biden pardoned Liberty and Belle in 2023, Chocolate and Chip in 2022, and Peanut Butter and Jelly in 2021.
Local media, including ABC, reported that the turkey pardon ceremony is usually filled with corny jokes. The Guardian noted that during the 2020 ceremony, as then-President Donald Trump was about to leave office, questions like "Will you pardon yourself?" were raised. The outlet also mentioned that a record 2,500 people attended this year’s ceremony, highlighting that President Biden secured a final victory over Trump, who was known for his obsession with crowd sizes.
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