Trump pardons turkeys Wishbone and Drumstick, raised in Minnesota
U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned, Drumstick, the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the Rose Garden at the White House November 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (KMSP) - President Donald Trump will pardon a pair of national Thanksgiving turkeys in a Rose Garden ceremony Tuesday, continuing a time-honored White House tradition. This year’s turkeys, named Wishbone and Drumstick, were raised in Minnesota.
The turkeys arrived in Washington on Monday with delegates from the National Turkey Federation. Wishbone and Drumstick spent a cozy night of luxury at the Willard InterContinental Washington before the ceremony.
Following the pardon, the turkeys will head to “Gobblers Rest” at Virginia Tech University to live out their lives. The turkeys, born in June, were raised by National Turkey Federation Chairman Carl Wittenburg and his wife, Sharlene, and five members of the Douglas County, Minnesota 4-H chapter.
The White House says the Trump family will also donate two turkeys from a Pennsylvania farm to non-profit Martha's Table in Washington, D.C.
This marks the 70th anniversary of the lighthearted event. Last year, turkeys Tater and Tot were pardoned by President Barack Obama is his final pre-Thanksgiving ceremony.