Trump Pardons Turkeys, Gets in Obama Dig

President spared Wishbone, Drumstick, but not before poking fun at his predecessor
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 22, 2017 12:30 AM CST
Trump Spares First Turkeys
President Trump with first lady Melania Trump, right, and their son, Barron Trump, pardons Drumstick during the National Thanksgiving Turkey ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on Tuesday. This is the 70th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation.   (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Trump wielded his pardon power Tuesday to spare a pair of turkeys from the Thanksgiving roaster, joking that he would also let last year's turkey pardons stand despite his penchant for overturning Obama-era orders. In a brief White House ceremony, Trump extended the annual presidential tradition of pardoning turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving, an act of leniency that prolongs the lives of Minnesota-bred gobblers Wishbone and Drumstick, with the latter receiving the formal reprieve, the AP reports. "I'm pleased to report that unlike millions of other turkeys at this time of the year, Drumstick has a very, very bright future ahead of it," he said.

Trump announced that Drumstick "and his friend Wishbone" will spend the rest of their lives on the campus of Virginia Tech, joining Tater and Tot, the two turkeys that were pardoned last year by Barack Obama. Trump, who has undone numerous Obama initiatives, used the opportunity to poke fun at the former president. "As many of you know, I've been very active in overturning a number of executive actions by my predecessor," Trump said. "However, I have been informed by the White House counsel's office that Tater and Tot's pardons cannot, under any circumstances, be revoked. So we're not going to revoke them. So Tater and Tot, you can rest easy." (More turkey stories.)

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