Washington, D.C., 26 November (H.S.): President Donald Trump officially pardoned two North Carolina turkeys named Waddle and Gobble on Tuesday, continuing a cherished White House Thanksgiving tradition, though the ceremony took a humorous turn when one of the guests of honor was conspicuously absent.

During the event in the Rose Garden, the president noted that one of the birds, Waddle, was missing in action, but assured the crowd that the pardon covered both turkeys.In keeping with modern tradition, the two turkeys, whose names were selected by the public in an online poll, enjoyed a luxurious overnight stay in a newly restored suite at the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel near the White House before their big day.

The annual pardoning ceremony spares the birds from the Thanksgiving dinner table, a fate common for millions of other turkeys across the nation.The quirky presidential custom of pardoning a turkey has evolved over the decades, with President George H.W. Bush formalizing the annual event in 1989.

While earlier presidents, including Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, had spared turkeys from the dinner table, it was during the Reagan administration that the term pardon was first popularly associated with the act.

Following their official reprieve, Waddle and Gobble are set to live out the rest of their natural lives at North Carolina State University. This was President Trump's first time participating in the turkey pardon since 2020, when he saved two turkeys named Corn and Cob.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar