The history of one of Washington’s weirdest traditions: the turkey pardon

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The national Thanksgiving turkeys, Liberty and Bell, arrive for a pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 20, 2023. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

A lame-duck president will “pardon” a turkey Monday.

Not to be snood-y about it, but this fowl tradition has a long and oft-confused history. So let’s dispel the myths that get stuck in our beaks that too many have clawed onto and get to the truth of the matter.

Even presidents have gotten it wrong

Which president was the first to pardon a turkey? This might be a shaggy turkey story, but bear with us.

To paraphrase a former president, this depends on what the definition of “pardon” is…

Story continues

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