How the White House turkey pardon became an American tradition

President Donald Trump pardoned two turkeys Tuesday — Gobble and Waddle — as part of an annual tradition that has occurred at the White House for more than 35 years. The Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning is a ceremony originating from the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation that started dating back to the 1940s, when the National Turkey Federation would present the president with a live turkey for Thanksgiving. President John F. Kennedy is often credited with pardoning the first turkey in 1963, when he said that he would "let this one grow." Although Kennedy didn’t use the word "pardon," the