President Donald Trump delivered a fiery Thanksgiving turkey pardon at the White House and used the moment to torch his political rivals as the crowd erupted in laughter.
The president pardoned two turkeys named Gobble and Waddle, though he joked he wanted to name them Chuck and Nancy after Sen. Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Pelosi (D-CA). He said he held back because he would never pardon either Democrat.
Trump said he looked at the turkeys’ photos and immediately thought of Chuck and Nancy, but added that he would never grant mercy to the pair. The crowd laughed as he reminded them that political forgiveness is not on the menu.
The president mocked last year’s turkey pardons and blamed them on Joe Biden’s autopen. He said the mistake forced him to rescue two other birds named Blossom and Peach that had been headed for slaughter.
Trump then shifted into a sharp jab at Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D).
He called him a “big, fat slob” before noting that he could stand to lose a few pounds himself. He tied the insult to ongoing crime issues in Chicago and blasted the state’s refusal to accept federal help, according to the Daily Mail.
The president described his frustration over the case of a woman set on fire on a Chicago train by a career criminal with 72 arrests. He blamed Pritzker for rejecting the National Guard and said tragedies like this are the result.
Trump used the moment to highlight his second-term achievements. He pointed to tougher crime policies, a crackdown on illegal immigration and progress toward ending multiple wars overseas.
Melania Trump joined him in the Rose Garden, wearing a leather aviator jacket, a black turtleneck and a brown herringbone skirt. The first lady oversaw a poll on her X account that selected Gobble and Waddle’s names.
Vice President J.D. Vance attended with Second Lady Usha Vance and their daughter Mirabel. Their sons did not appear at the ceremony. The family watched from the audience as the president granted the official pardons.
Trump joked that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. certified the turkeys as MAHA-approved. He pointed to their size and said they might be large but still qualified for the title.
The president teased that he had a prepared joke about Pritzker’s weight, but refused to use it. He said a speechwriter wrote it, but he rejected it because he does not talk about people being fat. He added that he refused to say Pritzker is a “fat slob” before the crowd burst out laughing.
Trump ended the ceremony by admitting he will not lose weight on Thanksgiving. He said he plans to enjoy turkey, just not the ones standing next to him.
Gobble and Waddle will live out the rest of their lives at North Carolina State University under the care of the Prestage Department of Poultry Science. Gobble weighs 52 pounds and Waddle weighs 50, making them the largest birds ever presented.
The tradition dates back to Abraham Lincoln but became an official presidential act in 1989 under George H.W. Bush. This year’s ceremony drew top officials like Pam Bondi, Pete Hegseth, Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent.
Vance’s presence with his family added to the holiday atmosphere as the administration celebrated the annual Thanksgiving ritual.
