President Trump officially pardons the Thanksgiving turkeys

Continuing the fun holiday tradition, President Trump pardoned two turkeys, named Wishbone and Drumstick, from becoming Thanksgiving dinner.

“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 him,” Trump said at the pardoning, with first lady Melania and son Barron standing by his side and many extended family members in the audience.When he approached Drumstick for the pardon, he exclaimed, “Big bird!”

It seems there is quite the competition rule the roost as the National Turkey.

Drumstick — described as a classic 47-pound bird with a “tall and proud” strut — was dubbed 2017’s National Thanksgiving Turkey, besting Wishbone in an online poll, 60-40 percent.Wishbone mounted a last-ditch effort for votes by making a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room earlier in the day. Ultimately, the political gamble did not garner any last-minute surge in the poll.

President Trump may heard the rumor that he nixed the pardon of Obama’s Thanksgiving birds. It appears he cannot.

After announcing that Wishbone and Drumstick will join the two turkeys that President Barack Obama pardoned last year, “Tater” and “Tot,” Trump joked that he is not allowed to reverse Obama’s turkey pardons.”As many of you know,” Trump said, “I have been very active in overturning a number of executive actions by my predecessor, however I have been informed by the White House Counsel’s office that Tater and Tot’s pardons cannot under any circumstances be revoked.””Tater and Tot, you can rest easy,” he said to laughs.

President Trump and his family will be heading to Mar-a-Lago for the holiday.

Tags: Thanksgiving

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