--- title: Donald Trump Saved 'Peas' and 'Carrots' at the Turkey Pardon description: Trump pardons turkey at annual event TK TK TK canonical: https://time.com/5458952/trump-pardons-turkey/ author: Ashley Hoffman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-11-20T18:36:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:56:07.587Z og:title: Trump Saved 'Peas' and 'Carrots' at the Presidential Turkey Pardon og:description: "I have warned them that House Democrats are likely to issue them both subpoenas." og:url: https://time.com/5458952/trump-pardons-turkey/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2adacd8798591c81/69893f9997cdff7a346b6ca7/turkey-pardon-peas-carrots-2018.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: turkey-pardon-peas-carrots-2018 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Saved 'Peas' and 'Carrots' at the Presidential Turkey Pardon twitter:description: "I have warned them that House Democrats are likely to issue them both subpoenas." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2adacd8798591c81/69893f9997cdff7a346b6ca7/turkey-pardon-peas-carrots-2018.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Saved 'Peas' and 'Carrots' at the Presidential Turkey Pardon by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Nov 20, 2018 6:36 PM UTC  Peas and Carrots, the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate, are shown to members of the media during a press conference held by the National Turkey Federation November 19, 2018 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. Peas and Carrots, the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate, are shown to members of the media during a press conference held by the National Turkey Federation November 19, 2018 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC.Win McNamee—Getty Images by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Nov 20, 2018 6:36 PM UTC Both “Peas” and “Carrots” got away with their lives thanks to a pardon from President Donald Trump at the annual White House event. Members of the public and media gathered in the Rose Garden for the tradition to see which lucky bird or birds would catch a break this year. Turkeys are bred for consumption, so they don’t live particularly long. But both Peas and Carrot will be spared from a holiday feast fate. This year, it was Peas who was bestowed with the [official “National Thanksgiving Turkey” title.](http://time.com/5033659/trump-turkey-pardon-reax/) “That turkey is so lucky. I’ve never seen such a beautiful turkey”,” Trump said as he marked the occasion on Tuesday, working in a joke about Carrots contesting the result. Peas won in an “a fair and open election,” Trump said, adding: “Unfortunately carrots refused to concede and demanded a recount.” Both Peas and Carrots will “retire” to “Gobbler’s Rest” at Virginia Tech, joining Drumstick and Wishbone, who Trump pardoned in 2017\. The turkeys’ time on the farm may not be entirely restful, Trump said. “I have warned them that House Democrats are likely to issue them both subpoenas” and he “can’t guarantee that your pardons won’t be enjoined by the Ninth Circuit.” Just like last year, The White House opted to let people decide which [turkey Trump pardons](http://time.com/5032154/turkey-pardon-2017/) by putting it to an online poll on Monday. Unsurprisingly the contenders were neck and turkey neck. > [](https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1064549624554373120) Under Obama, it was [“Tater” and “Tot”](http://time.com/5032154/turkey-pardon-2017/) who received four star accommodations at The Intercontinental in 2016. The consensus among most [historians](http://time.com/4575217/presidential-turkey-pardon/) is that the first President to pardon a turkey was Kennedy. 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