President Barack Obama pardons "Popcorn," the 2013 National Thanksgiving Turkey, with his daughters Sasha and Malia (R) on November 27, 2013. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

Members of PETA dressed as turkeys protest outside of the White House on November 21, 2012. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Sasha Obama pets Liberty, the National Thanksgiving Turkey pardoned by U.S. President Barack Obama, on November 23, 2011. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo

Guests photograph Apple, the National Thanksgiving Turkey, who was pardoned by President Barack Obama on November 24, 2010. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo

U.S. President George W. Bush meets Flyer the turkey as handler Lynn Nutt keeps him calm, after Bush pardoned Flyer the day before Thanksgiving. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo

President George W. Bush keeps a cautious hand on Biscuits, the National Thanksgiving Turkey, after pardoning the bird in the Rose Garden of the White House on November 17, 2004. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo

The National Thanksgiving Turkey "Tot" was pardoned by President Barack Obama in a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on November 23, 2016. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

President Bill Clinton holding his nephew Tyler grants a presidential pardon to a turkey named "Jerry" in 2000. File Photo by Xeriqua Garfinkel/UPI | License Photo

Former President George W. Bush pardons a Turkey named Pumpkin during the annual White House Turkey Presidential Pardon in 2008. File Photo by Mark Wilson/UPI | License Photo

Former President Barack Obama pets the National Thanksgiving Turkey called Cobbler, with his daughter Malia (R) and Sasha (C) during the annual turkey pardon in 2012. File photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

President George W. Bush and Katie the turkey eye each other carefully after the traditional pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey on November 26, 2002, in the Rose Garden of the White House. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo

President Donald Trump pardons Drumstick, the National Thanksgiving Turkey, with first lady Melania Trump and son Barron in the Rose Garden at the White House on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

President Donald Trump (R) pardons Drumstick, the National Thanksgiving Turkey, as he is joined by National Turkey Federation Chairman Carl Wittenburg (2nd-R) and members of the Wittenberg family, during the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning Ceremony. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI.. | License Photo

President Donald Trump pardons Drumstick, the National Thanksgiving Turkey, in the Rose Garden at the White House on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 21 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday continued a 70-year White House tradition when he pardoned the National Thanksgiving Turkey -- Drumstick.

First lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump were on hand for the ceremony as well as four teenagers from a 4-H program in Douglas County, Minn., who raised Drumstick.


"Over the past 10 months, Melania and I have had the pleasure of welcoming many, many special visitors to the great White House," Trump said. "We've hosted dozens of incredible world leaders, members of Congress and along the way a few very strange birds.

"But we have yet to receive any visitors quite like our magnificent guest of honor today -- Drumstick."

The president had two birds to choose between for the pardon -- Drumstick and Wishbone -- both of whom stayed overnight at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, a tradition for the turkeys paid for by the National Turkey Federation since 2004.

Though only one bird received a pardon this year, both will head to "Gobbler's Rest" on the campus of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Va, after the ceremony.

In his final turkey pardon before leaving office, President Barack Obama pardoned both Tater and Tot last year.

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Trump joked that though he has been active in overturning Obama's executive actions, he would not change Tator and Tot's fates.

"I have been informed by the White House counsel's office that Tator and Tot's pardons cannot under any circumstances be revoked," Trump said.

Tuesday's pardon follows a long line of White House Thanksgiving ceremonies, the origins for which date back to the Civil War era.

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"It is often stated that President [Abraham] Lincoln's 1863 clemency to a turkey recorded in an 1865 dispatch by White House reporter Noah Brooks was the origin for the pardoning ceremony," the White House said.

By 1914, the opportunity to give a turkey to the president was open to the public -- and turkey gifts became a symbol of "good cheer" by the time former first lady Grace Coolidge accepted a bird from a girl scout in 1925. In 1978, a turkey presented to first lady Rosalynn Carter was sent to live in a mini zoo.

The tradition of sending turkeys to live on a farm was established in the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan, and the stories became a source of satire and humor for reporters.

"Let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone's dinner table, not this guy," President George H. W. Bush said in 1989.

"He's granted a presidential pardon as of right now -- and allow him to live out his days on a children's farm not far from here."