Under President Trump, the People's House was full of festive cheer this week. And the holiday season has only just begun.
Every November, Washington stages its oddest little ritual: the White House turkey pardon.
It’s billed as a moment of national levity, a harmless photo-op in a season otherwise packed with political rancor. But the tradition itself is a strange hybrid of folklore, lobbying, and presidential whim.
Its roots go back to the 19th century, when farmers sent gift birds to the White House, and presidents sometimes spared them as a joke. Presidents like Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy made a show of pardoning the lucky turkeys.
The modern “official” pardon didn’t solidify until George H.W. Bush in 1989, when animal-rights pressure and good PR merged. Now it’s a yearly reminder that even politics needs comic relief.
Continuing the fun tradition, President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and plenty of Trump cabinet members put on a fine Thanksgiving show in 2025.
President Trump addressed the crowd of attendees on the White House lawn, where he discussed the indomitable American spirit and the importance of gratitude toward our nation and the people who helped build it.
But it wasn’t all smiles at the White House this year.
A terrorist attack that killed one National Guard service member and wounded another near the White House put a damper on the festivities.
“As we prepare to celebrate 250 glorious years of American independence, this Thanksgiving, we summon the faith, resolve, and unflinching fortitude of the giants of American history who came before us,” said President Donald Trump. “We vow to build a future that echoes their sacrifice. Above all, we offer our endless gratitude to Almighty God for His love, grace, and infinite blessings.”
“From the pilgrims who settled our continent and the patriots who won our independence on the battlefield to the pioneers who tamed the west and the warriors who have preserved our freedom in distant lands, the spirit of gratitude and grit embodied by those who celebrated the first Thanksgiving more than 400 years ago have stood at the very heart of what it means to be an American,” said Trump.
“This year, God has bestowed abundant blessings all across our land and indeed the entire world,” the President said. “As we give thanks to Him, we continue to advance our Nation through strong leadership and commonsense policy. As a result, the American economy is roaring back, we are making progress on lowering the cost of living, a new era of peace is sweeping around the world, our sovereignty is being swiftly restored, and the American spirit is coming back greater and more powerful than ever before.”
(Contributing writer, Brooke Bell)