The 82-year-old leader hosted approximately 2,500 attendees on the South Lawn, enjoying clear skies as he shared lighthearted anecdotes about turkeys named “Peach” and “Blossom.” He expressed a touch of nostalgia about his final weeks in office, reflecting on his extensive political career spanning half a century in Washington.
“It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden remarked, acknowledging his upcoming exit on January 20, 2025, when power will shift to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, whom Biden had defeated four years prior. Trump was in the race again until he was urged to step back due to concerns surrounding his age and political viability.
The president enjoyed the light-hearted ceremony, with both turkeys named after Delaware’s official flower. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he stated, humorously interrupted at times by Peach’s gobbling off to his side. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” joked Biden, eliciting laughter from the crowd, which included Cabinet members, White House staff and their relatives, along with students from 4H clubs and Future Farmers of America.
Biden characterized Peach with the motto, “Keep calm and gobble on,” while describing Blossom’s motto as, “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.”
The turkeys originated from the farm of John Zimmerman, located near Northfield, Minnesota. Zimmerman is the president of the National Turkey Federation and has raised nearly four million turkeys throughout his career. This federation has presented Thanksgiving turkeys to U.S. presidents since the Truman administration after World War II; however, President Harry Truman preferred eating turkeys rather than pardoning them. The annual tradition of official pardoning ceremonies at the White House began during the presidency of George H.W. Bush in 1989.
With their presidential pardoning, Peach and Blossom will enjoy their days at Farmamerica, located near Waseca, Minnesota, which serves as an agricultural interpretative center aimed at promoting and educating about agriculture in the United States.
Later on Monday, First Lady Jill Biden will receive the official White House Christmas tree, which will be displayed in the Blue Room. Following that, the Bidens plan to head to New York City for a “Friendsgiving” gathering at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island.