Biden Pardons ‘Peach’ and ‘Blossom’ in a Heartwarming Thanksgiving Tradition

In a cherished White House Thanksgiving tradition, President Joe Biden pardoned two lucky turkeys, Peach and Blossom, sparing them from becoming the centerpiece of anyone’s holiday feast.

The event, held on the South Lawn on Monday, marked the official start of the holiday season and brought smiles to the crowd of 2,500 attendees.

“This event marks the official start of the holiday season here in Washington,” Biden said. “It’s also my last time to speak here as your president during this season and give thanks and gratitude. So let me say to you, it’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful.” He urged Americans to focus on what matters most: family, friends, and the blessings of living in the United States.

Peach and Blossom, both weighing over 40 pounds, were raised in Minnesota and underwent special training to handle the spotlight.

John Zimmerman, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, along with his 9-year-old son Grant and other young trainers, ensured the turkeys were camera-ready and accustomed to lights, music, and even classic rock tunes.

The two birds were hatched in July and traveled to Washington, staying in style at the Willard InterContinental Hotel before their big moment.

Named after the Delaware state flower, the Peach Blossom, the turkeys carried their own mottos: Peach lived by “keep calm and gobble on,” while Blossom embraced “no foul play, just Minnesota nice.”

During the ceremony, Biden humorously responded to gobbles from the turkeys, joking that they were making “last-minute pleas.” After their official pardons, Peach and Blossom were sent to live out their days at Farmamerica, an agricultural interpretive center in Waseca, Minnesota, as “agricultural ambassadors.”

This annual turkey pardoning ceremony has become a lighthearted yet meaningful event, filled with puns, jokes, and goodwill.

Biden’s previous turkey pardons include Liberty and Bell in 2023, Chocolate and Chip in 2022, and Peanut Butter and Jelly in 2021. “And today, Peach and Blossom will join the free birds of the United States of America,” Biden said.

The history of the turkey pardon is rooted in both politics and folklore. Stories suggest President Abraham Lincoln may have spared a turkey at his son Tad’s urging, but the tradition in its modern form dates back to the Harry Truman presidency in 1947.

Truman’s controversial “poultry-less Thursdays” initiative during post-war food conservation efforts spurred public outcry, leading to the presentation of turkeys by the National Turkey Federation as a peace gesture.

While Truman’s turkeys were not spared, President John F. Kennedy publicly pardoned a turkey in 1963, days before his assassination. The tradition gained momentum under President Ronald Reagan and became official in 1989 when President George H.W. Bush granted the first formal turkey pardon.

For more than three decades, at least one turkey each year has been saved, delighting Americans and reminding them of the joy and gratitude the holiday season brings.