CNN anchor Brianna Keilar mocked President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE on Tuesday after the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony, calling it "the most unusual dichotomy" coming on the heels of a statement from Trump "essentially pardoning Saudi Arabia."

“And there you have it. President Trump pardoning the Thanksgiving turkey, the annual tradition. Peas is the name of this turkey," Keilar said on "CNN Newsroom," pivoting to the president's statement after live coverage of the White House ceremony.

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"And just the most unusual dichotomy here as this comes on the heels of a statement that the president has put out essentially pardoning Saudi Arabia and the crown prince and the king there, despite what his intel community is expected to put out in a report today that Saudi Arabia is behind, that these leaders of Saudi Arabia are behind the killing of a Washington Post journalist," she said.

Trump joked about his recent court defeats during the turkey pardoning ceremony, warning the two turkeys chosen, named Peas and Carrots, that a federal court could overturn his pardon.

"Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee that your pardons won’t be enjoined by the 9th Circuit,” Trump said to laughter in the White House. “Always happens. They guarantee it.”

Trump said in a statement earlier Tuesday that "the United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia" despite the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.

"Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event — maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!" the president said, adding that "we may never know" who was responsible.

The CIA report on Khashoggi's killing is expected to be released later Tuesday afternoon.