Despite the annual turkey pardon ceremony being criticized by many as “silly,” U.S. presidents have continued this tradition since President George H.W. Bush officially established the day in 1989.
Longstanding Tradition of U.S. Presidents
According to records from the National Turkey Federation, turkeys have been presented to the U.S. president’s family since 1947. The turkey pardon ceremony dates back to President Harry Truman’s administration. Truman was the first president to receive a turkey from the federation, although he did not grant it a pardon. The Washington Post cites various documents showing that Truman admitted to eating the gifted turkey.
This event is linked to a controversial campaign initiated by the Truman administration. To conserve food for foreign aid packages, former President Truman launched the campaign titled “Meatless Tuesday” and “Poultryless Thursday” in the fall of 1947. The public was outraged by the unreasonable regulations, leading to the swift termination of these campaigns. However, the National Turkey Presentation continues to this day.
President Obama at his final turkey pardon ceremony.
Truman’s successor, former President Dwight Eisenhower, consumed the gifted turkeys during both of his terms, according to the Eisenhower Presidential Library. The first president to officially “pardon” a turkey was former President John F. Kennedy. On November 18, 1963, just four days before his assassination, Kennedy received a turkey with a tag saying “Enjoy your meal, Mr. President” from the National Turkey Federation. However, he returned the animal to the farm.
The phrase “turkey pardon” was first used by former President Ronald Reagan. Beginning in 1982, Reagan started sending the gifted turkeys to farms or zoos, and the turkey presented in 1987, named Charlie, also went to live out its life in a zoo. At this time, President Reagan was facing a series of questions surrounding the Iran-Contra scandal, as many officials were accused of selling arms to Iran, which was under sanctions. The public was outraged and wanted to know whether Reagan would pardon former Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, who coordinated the arms sales and money transfers to Iran. In response, the president decided to pardon turkey Charlie.
In the final year of his second term (1988), Reagan did not pardon the gifted turkey. However, his successor, former President George H.W. Bush (often referred to as Bush “Senior”), formalized the turkey pardon ceremony in 1989. This event has since become an annual tradition at the White House.
According to CNN, the turkeys presented to the president are raised alongside those intended for slaughter. Approximately 50-80 turkeys that are “well-adapted” to crowds, noise, and camera flashes are chosen by the National Turkey Federation. The list is then narrowed down to two “candidates,” which are named by students or White House officials.
For many years, the pardoned turkeys lived out the rest of their lives at Frying Pan Farm in Virginia. From 2005 to 2009, they became honorary guests in the Thanksgiving parade at Disneyland in California or Disney World in Florida.
Since they are raised for slaughter, the turkeys that escape the president’s dinner table do not live long due to their rich diet, which causes them to become overweight. Many animal rights organizations have voiced their opposition to this “silly tradition” of American politics, according to the Washington Post. The organization PETA argues that this event is “outdated” and reflects a “disregard for the slaughter of 45 million of these intelligent and gentle birds.”
President Donald Trump pardoning a turkey.
During the 2018 Thanksgiving turkey pardon event, President Donald Trump joked about the recent midterm election results and took jabs at the Democratic Party. “Although Peas and Carrots (the names of the two turkeys) have both been pardoned by the president, I warned them that the Democratic congressmen may issue subpoenas for them to appear in court,” he joked. Peas and Carrots would “live out their days” on the campus of Virginia Tech, which runs a poultry science program.
“At this time of year, we reflect on the blessings in our lives. Thank you for being here. Thanksgiving is a wonderful American tradition, and today we continue a very special tradition as the lucky turkey is pardoned,” President Trump stated, according to CNN.
