Washington: Continuing with the decades-old Thanksgiving tradition, US President Donald Trump pardoned two turkeys - Bread and Butter - but not without making fun of the Democrat leading the impeachment inquiry that threatens his presidency.
The turkeys named by students of Harrells Christian Academy in North Carolina, appeared before a battery of White House reporters in the Rose Garden where Trump announced his pardon. Bread and Butter were raised in Tar Heels state by farmer Willie Jackson.
"Thankfully Bread and Butter have been especially raised by the Jacksons to remain calm under any condition which will be very important because they have already received subpoenas to appear in Adam Schiff's basement on Thursday," Trump joked about the House Intelligence Committee chairman.
"It's true. Hundreds of people have. It seems the Democrats are accusing me of being too soft on Turkey," he said on Tuesday, referring to his decision to pull US troops out of Syria and not standing with the Kurdish allies when they were attacked by Turkish forces.
"But Bread and Butter, I should note, that unlike previous witnesses, you and I have actually met. It's very unusual." The US president also did not spare the media.
"In any event I expect this pardon will be a very popular one with the media. After all turkeys are closely related to vultures. I don't know if I like that line but there is a little truth to it," he said.
It is said that Abraham Lincoln was the first US president to spare a Thanksgiving turkey at the request of his son.
"In 1947, President Harry Truman accepted the first annual national Thanksgiving turkey. In the decades that followed presidents from Kennedy to Reagan would show mercy. See. That's a strong bird--to their birds but it was George HW Bush who first issued an official pardon," Trump said.
