President pardons Gobble and Waddle, two lucky Thanksgiving turkeys
On Tuesday, President Trump pardoned Gobble and Waddle in the 78th annual White House Thanksgiving turkey ceremony, a holiday tradition with a rich history.
Turkeys Waddle and Gobble, who will receive a presidential pardon at the White House ahead of Thanksgiving, enjoy their hotel room at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, in Washington, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Two lucky turkeys from North Carolina are heading into the holidays with a story few birds can tell: a presidential pardon.
“Gobble” and “Waddle,” this year’s National Thanksgiving Turkeys, met President Trump on Tuesday for the 78th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation at the White House.
Before the big day, the feathered duo enjoyed a stay at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., where they strutted around as honored guests instead of menu items.
Turkeys Waddle and Gobble, who will receive a presidential pardon at the White House ahead of Thanksgiving, enjoy their hotel room at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, in Washington, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Presidential turkey pardons date as far back as Abraham Lincoln, who reportedly spared a turkey at the request of his son Tad. Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy also granted reprieves to holiday birds over the years, but the ritual didn’t become an official annual tradition until 1989, when President George H.W. Bush formally declared that a White House turkey would live to see another Thanksgiving.
Since then, presidents have continued the tradition, each year selecting a pair of turkeys from farms around the country for the ceremonial pardon.
Gobble and Waddle will head back home to Raleigh, North Carolina, where they’ll spend the rest of their days enjoying open space and full feed troughs — far from any Thanksgiving table.
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