On November 25, 2025, the South Lawn of the White House played host to one of the lighter moments in American political tradition: the presidential turkey pardon. This year’s stars were Gobble and Waddle, a pair of turkeys hailing from Wayne County, North Carolina. But what might have been an unremarkable, feel-good event quickly took on a sharper political edge, thanks to President Donald Trump’s penchant for turning even the most ceremonial of occasions into headline fodder.
Standing before an audience of reporters, staff, and onlookers, President Trump couldn’t resist injecting a dose of political humor into the proceedings. As he introduced the turkeys, he quipped, “The turkeys being pardoned today go by the names of Gobble and Waddle. When I first saw their pictures I thought we should send them, well, I was gonna, I shouldn’t say this, I was gonna call them Chuck and Nancy, but then I realized I wouldn’t be pardoning them. I would never pardon those two people. I wouldn’t pardon them. I wouldn’t care what Melania told me, ‘Darling, I think it would be a nice thing to do.’ I won’t do it, darling.” According to the Daily Caller News Foundation and BizPac Review, the president’s joke drew laughter and groans in equal measure, depending on one’s political leanings.
This offhand remark, of course, wasn’t just about the birds. It was a pointed jab at two of Trump’s most prominent political adversaries: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Both have been central figures in the tumultuous relationship between the Trump White House and Democratic leadership, especially during the impeachment sagas that defined much of Trump’s first term.
Pelosi, who has served in Congress since 1987, led the House in impeaching Trump not once, but twice. The first impeachment, in 2019, charged Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, stemming from his request that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings. The second, in 2021, was tied to Trump’s alleged role in inciting the January 6 Capitol riot. As BizPac Review notes, Pelosi’s leadership during these moments made her a lightning rod for both praise and criticism.
Schumer, for his part, voted to convict Trump in both impeachment trials. After Trump’s acquittal following the second trial, Schumer called the outcome a “vote for infamy,” underscoring just how deep the partisan divide ran. The Capitol riot, and Trump’s alleged involvement, remained a flashpoint in American politics long after the Senate’s decision, with both sides continuing to debate the implications for democracy and the rule of law.
If there was any doubt about the personal animosity between Trump and Pelosi, it was dispelled during the 2020 State of the Union address. After Trump finished his speech, Pelosi—standing directly behind him—famously tore up her copy of the address, a gesture that quickly went viral and became symbolic of the era’s political acrimony. The moment was replayed endlessly on cable news, dissected by pundits, and used by both parties to rally their respective bases.
The tension between Trump and Pelosi has hardly abated in the years since. In a recent CNN interview on November 3, 2025, Pelosi called Trump a “vile creature” and “the worst thing on the face of the Earth.” Harsh words, even by the standards of modern American politics. Trump, for his part, seemed to relish the ongoing feud. Just days later, he publicly celebrated Pelosi’s announced retirement, slated for 2027. “She has served in Congress since 1987,” Trump noted, before adding his own brand of backhanded congratulations. According to BizPac Review, the president didn’t miss the chance to needle his longtime foe one last time.
While the annual turkey pardon is usually a moment of bipartisan good cheer—a brief respite from the grind of Washington’s political battles—this year’s ceremony was a reminder that, even in tradition, the country’s divisions are never far from the surface. Trump’s joke about Chuck and Nancy was, on one level, just that: a joke. But it was also a signal to his supporters and detractors alike that he remains as combative as ever, unwilling to let even the most innocuous event pass without a dig at his rivals.
For some observers, the president’s remarks were emblematic of a broader trend in American politics: the blending of the personal and the political, the ceremonial and the confrontational. The turkey pardon, once a symbol of national unity and lightheartedness, has become yet another stage for partisan sparring. It’s a development that some lament and others embrace, depending on where they stand on the ideological spectrum.
The reactions to Trump’s comments were predictably polarized. Supporters saw them as vintage Trump—irreverent, unfiltered, and willing to take on the “establishment” at every turn. Detractors, meanwhile, viewed the joke as yet another example of the president’s inability to rise above personal grievances and focus on the business of governance. As with so much in American politics today, even the fate of two turkeys became fodder for the culture wars.
Meanwhile, Gobble and Waddle, blissfully unaware of the political storm swirling around them, were spared the Thanksgiving table and sent off to enjoy their retirement at a farm, as is customary for pardoned turkeys. Their brush with fame may be fleeting, but their names will surely be remembered—at least until next year’s ceremony rolls around.
In the end, the 2025 turkey pardon was less about poultry and more about the persistent, personal rivalries that continue to shape the nation’s political landscape. Whether one found Trump’s remarks amusing or inappropriate, there’s no denying their impact. They served as a reminder that, in today’s America, even the most time-honored rituals are not immune to controversy—or to the personalities who dominate the headlines.
As the sun set on the White House lawn and the crowd dispersed, the turkeys’ reprieve stood as a small mercy in a world often defined by its lack of forgiveness. For Gobble and Waddle, at least, there would be no need to worry about politics—or pardons—ever again.