Trump Tucks Away Gobble, Waddle, But Fires Up at Democrats in White House Turkey Pardon
Image Source: Internet
In a departure from the traditional festive tone, US President Donald Trump turned the annual White House Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony into a platform for political jabs. The event, a long-standing tradition that dates back to 1963, saw Trump spare the lives of two turkeys, Gobble and Waddle, but not his sharp tongue. While the ceremony is meant to be a bipartisan moment of gratitude, Trump used the opportunity to attack Democrats, criticizing Chicago's crime rates and targeting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. He also revived a conspiracy theory surrounding Joe Biden's pardon process and claimed that the previous year's turkey pardon was invalid because it was signed by an autopen. The president's remarks were met with a mix of amusement and confusion from the audience, including Gobble, one of the two turkeys on hand. Despite the tense atmosphere, the birds' handler reported that they were chosen by North Carolina students in an online vote and will now retire to a comfortable life back home. Trump's claims about economic growth were also disputed by experts. While egg prices have indeed fallen, grocery costs are still rising, and the national average for gasoline is slightly higher than last year. The president's boasts about delivering the largest tax cuts in history were also found to be exaggerated. In a lighter moment, Trump considered naming the turkeys after Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, but ultimately decided against it, quipping, 'I wouldn't be pardoning them. I would never pardon those two people.'
