In what should have been a light-hearted White House tradition, Donald Trump's annual turkey pardon ceremony descended into a bizarre spectacle of failed jokes and political attacks that left attendees uncomfortable and bewildered.
A Presidential Tradition Turned Political Circus
The Rose Garden ceremony, typically marked by harmless puns and seasonal cheer, took multiple dark turns as the former president used the occasion to settle political scores. Trump arrived with First Lady Melania Trump in light rain, immediately drawing attention to the newly paved patio that had replaced the traditional grass. "I hope you like our new beautiful patio with matching stones at the White House," he remarked, criticising previous administrations for hosting the event on muddy grass.
The atmosphere grew increasingly strange as Trump began what observers described as a rambling speech that zigzagged between topics as diverse as nuclear power, border security, and artificial intelligence. The event, which has been a presidential tradition for nearly eight decades, is normally designed to offer reassuring words about the nation while sparing two turkeys from Thanksgiving dinner.
Controversial Comments and Failed Humour
Trump's attempts at humour fell painfully flat with an audience that included JD Vance and his wife Usha, along with attorney general Pam Bondi. The president made the startling announcement that last year's turkey pardons were "totally invalid", claiming that the birds pardoned by Joe Biden using an "auto pen" had been located while "on their way to be processed - in other words, to be killed."
The situation deteriorated further when Trump revealed his initial plans to name this year's turkeys after Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. "But then I realised I wouldn't be pardoning them, I would never pardon those two people," he declared, adding that even Melania's potential intervention wouldn't change his mind.
Most disturbing was Trump's comment about shipping the turkeys to "the terrorist confinement centre in El Salvador," followed by the observation that "even those birds don't want to be there." The remark drew uncomfortable silence from attendees, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who had brought her infant son Nicholas to the event.
Personal Attacks and Bizarre Moments
Trump's speech took another jarring turn when he described Illinois governor JB Pritzker as "a big, fat slob" before acknowledging that he himself "could afford to lose a few pounds too." The personal attack contrasted sharply with the ceremony's intended spirit of charity and good cheer.
The president's dark coat, suit and red tie provided a sombre backdrop to proceedings that grew increasingly surreal. At one point, Trump performed what appeared to be a turkey impression before gently stroking the feathers of Gobble, one of the two birds present, and asking rhetorically: "Who would want to harm this beautiful bird?"
The other turkey, Waddle, was notably absent, with Trump describing it as "missing in action" and making a comparison to controversial politician Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Ceremony's Uncomfortable Conclusion
After meandering through topics including crime in Chicago and Washington DC, Trump finally returned to the ceremony's purpose, officially pardoning Gobble with characteristic theatricality. "Gobble, I just want to tell you this - very important - you are hereby unconditionally pardoned!" he declared with dramatic hand gestures.
The event concluded with Trump boasting that his turkeys, weighing more than 50lbs, were larger than those of his predecessors and claiming they had been certified as the first-ever "Maha" (Make America Healthy Again) turkeys by health secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.
Observers noted that the transformation of the Rose Garden, now paved with Mar-a-Lago-style slabs and featuring a presidential walk of fame with gold-framed portraits of Trump's predecessors (excluding Joe Biden, replaced by an auto pen), created an unsettling backdrop for what has traditionally been one of the White House's more lighthearted annual events.
