Trump's Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon Takes Political Turn
In a dramatic White House ceremony that blended tradition with political theater, former President Donald Trump displayed what he called a "merciful" mood while pardoning two Thanksgiving turkeys named Gobble and Waddle. However, the event quickly transformed into a platform for settling scores with his political opponents.
During the traditional turkey pardon ritual, Trump revealed he initially considered naming the birds after Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. "I would never pardon those people," Trump declared, despite what he described as First Lady Melania Trump's plea for him to "be nice."
Executive Orders Under Fire
Trump used the occasion to launch a sweeping attack on President Joe Biden's executive actions. On Black Friday, he announced the cancellation of all executive orders and documents not directly signed by "Crooked Joe Biden." Specifically targeting Biden's use of an autopen, Trump declared that approximately 92% of Biden's signed documents were "hereby terminated, and of no further force or effect."
Trump alleged that "The Radical Left Lunatics circling Biden around the beautiful Resolute Desk in the Oval Office" had essentially taken the presidency away from him by using the autopen device. He went so far as to warn that if Biden claimed involvement in the autopen process, he would face perjury charges.
The former president also questioned the validity of turkey pardons issued by "sleepy Joe Biden" last year, suggesting they were invalid because Biden used an autopen. During this criticism, Trump pointedly asked "Where's Hunter?" implying ongoing legal troubles for Biden's son.
Legal Victories and Ongoing Battles
In significant legal developments, Trump scored a major victory when a Georgia judge dismissed the last pending criminal prosecution against him. This decision effectively ended efforts to hold Trump criminally responsible for attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Trump celebrated this dismissal of what he called "this Illegal, Unconstitutional, and unAmerican Hoax" that he claimed was orchestrated by "Crooked Joe Biden and his 'Handlers.'" This marks the third criminal case against Trump that has dissolved since his re-election last year.
Meanwhile, a federal judge tossed cases against two figures Trump indicated he would never pardon: former FBI director James Comey and New York attorney general Letitia James. The judge ruled that the prosecuting attorney was illegally appointed, though the Justice Department is expected to appeal.
Confrontations with Media and Immigration Policies
Trump's combative relationship with the media continued during this period, particularly targeting The New York Times. He branded the publication a "cheap RAG" and "truly an ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE" after it published observations about potential signs of fatigue in his schedule.
In a particularly personal attack, Trump insulted New York Times reporter Katie Rogers, calling her "a third rate reporter who is ugly, both inside and out." This marked the third time in recent weeks that Trump had publicly insulted a female reporter.
The pattern continued when Trump called another female reporter a "stupid person" after being questioned about an Afghan man suspected of shooting two National Guard troops near the White House. Trump defended his administration's April 2025 grant of asylum to the shooter, who had worked with a CIA-backed military unit in Afghanistan, blaming the Biden administration for letting him enter the country.
Capitalizing on this incident, Trump ordered reexamination of all green cards issued to people from 19 countries "of concern" listed in a June presidential proclamation. He thundered on Truth Social that "I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries" and that only "REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation."
Throughout these events, Trump amplified social media posts depicting him as a warrior against the "Deep State," including one showing him as a king in full body armor with the ominous warning: "NONE shall escape his justice!" - making clear that political battles would continue, Thanksgiving or no Thanksgiving.
