The White House’s annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon, a lighthearted pre-holiday ritual, has come under fire from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which calls the practice
outdated and exploitative.
PETA’s president, Ingrid Newkirk, has called on President Joe Biden to bring the tradition to an end, denouncing it as a public relations stunt for the turkey industry. In a letter sent last week, Newkirk urged the president to seize his “lame duck” status as an opportunity to stop supporting what she described as “the dirty business” of factory farming.
“You no longer need to heed the interests of factory farmers,” Newkirk wrote. “Instead, you have a joyous opportunity to spare Americans and turkeys this humiliating meat-industry stunt.”
A Presidential Tradition
The turkey pardon, a custom dating back decades, is set to continue this year for its 77th iteration. On Monday, President Biden will pardon two Minnesota-born turkeys, sparing them from becoming part of Thanksgiving feasts. The chosen turkeys, weighing in at 40 and 41 pounds, were hatched on July 18 in Northfield, Minnesota. They were raised by John Zimmerman, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, along with his nine-year-old son, Grant.
The pardoned birds will receive playful names chosen by the White House from a list compiled by attendees of the Minnesota State Fair. Last year, the turkeys were named Liberty and Bell, while 2021’s selections were Chocolate and Chip. The names of this year’s turkeys will be unveiled at a press conference on Sunday.
Following the pardon, the turkeys will retire to Farmamerica, an agricultural interpretive center in Minnesota, where they will live as ambassadors for the farming industry and can be visited by the public.
The Origins of the Turkey Pardon
The tradition’s roots trace back to Abraham Lincoln, who reportedly spared a turkey from becoming Christmas dinner at the behest of his son, Tad. The White House Historical Association credits John F. Kennedy with extending the practice to Thanksgiving in 1963 when he opted not to eat a turkey delivered to the White House. The tradition became formalized under President George H.W. Bush, who began issuing annual pardons during his tenure.
PETA Pushes for an End to the Ceremony
With Biden’s term concluding in January, this year’s pardon will be his last. PETA hopes it will also mark the end of the tradition altogether. In her letter, Newkirk accused the turkey industry of “astounding cruelty” and called the annual event a “wretched ritual” unworthy of the presidency.
The National Turkey Federation declined to comment on the controversy, with spokesman Alex Davidson opting not to engage in the debate.
Moving Forward
While the ceremony remains a lighthearted part of the Thanksgiving season for many, PETA’s criticism highlights broader concerns about animal welfare and the ethics of factory farming. Whether the tradition will continue under future administrations remains to be seen. Photo by Unnamed White House staffer, Wikimedia commons.
