Washington, D.C. — In a blend of ceremony and political theater, President Donald Trump carried out the annual presidential turkey pardon on Tuesday, granting clemency to two birds named Gobble and Waddle. The lighthearted ritual, traditionally held ahead of Thanksgiving, unfolded in the White House Rose Garden — though its tone and timing land differently for many Native communities who view the holiday as a symbol not of celebration, but of survival.
Gobble, the featured turkey of the day, received what Trump called a “full and unconditional pardon,” complete with the customary photo opportunity. Waddle, the companion bird, was absent from the ceremony, prompting the president to joke that the second turkey was “missing in action” but would be pardoned regardless.
As in previous years, the turkeys spent the night before the ceremony at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, a quirky tradition that has become part of the pageantry. After the pardon, both birds will return to North Carolina to live out their days at North Carolina State University’s Prestage Department of Poultry Science.
While the turkey pardon is often framed as a moment of levity, this year’s event leaned heavily into political messaging. Instead of focusing on unity or the spirit of thanks, Trump used the brief ceremony to swipe at political rivals and revisit grievances.
He claimed that President Biden’s 2023 turkey pardons were “invalid” because they had been executed with an autopen, suggesting — without evidence — that the birds had been destined for processing until his administration “stopped that journey.” He also mocked Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, quipping that while he had considered naming the birds after them, he “would never pardon those two people.”
As he often does during public appearances, Trump folded the event into broader campaign messaging, touting what he described as economic improvements and revival of national strength under his leadership.
For many across Indian Country, Thanksgiving is not simply a day of food and festivity. It carries the weight of history — colonization, land theft, forced assimilation, and generations of struggle that are too often smoothed over by national myths of harmony between settlers and Indigenous peoples.
The turkey pardon itself may seem like a harmless ritual, but for Native audiences it can highlight the stark contrast between the country’s celebratory narrative and the lived experiences of the first peoples of this land.
The White House’s lighthearted approach stands at odds with the reality that, for many Native families, this week is time of remembrance: of ancestors lost to violence and displacement, of broken treaties, and of cultural survival in the face of erasure.
Trump’s decision to center political attacks during a ceremony nominally about gratitude underscores a long-running critique from Indigenous leaders: that American holidays often prioritize spectacle over substance, and symbolism over accountability.
The administration’s emphasis on economic success — including claims of falling turkey prices — also raises questions in Native communities where economic hardship remains widespread and promises of “affordability” rarely translate into meaningful change.
Across Native nations, the week of Thanksgiving is increasingly observed as a time for cultural reflection, community gatherings, and education rather than celebration. Many mark the National Day of Mourning, a counter-observance that highlights the ongoing impacts of colonization and honors Indigenous resilience.
Yet Native traditions of gratitude — practices far older than Thanksgiving — continue to thrive. For many Native families, giving thanks is a year-round spiritual act, not tied to a single day or a colonial story.
As the turkey pardon once again captures media attention, Native voices continue to remind the country that American traditions, even the lighthearted ones, exist within a larger historical context — one that must not be ignored.
Gobble and Waddle may have received their pardons. But for the Indigenous peoples of this land, meaningful recognition comes not through symbolic gestures but through truth-telling, sovereignty, and honoring commitments long overdue.
