Trump to pardon two turkeys in annual Thanksgiving tradition that starts holiday season

Donald Trump took aim at Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi before pardoning turkeys, minutes after slamming Biden’s autopen.

“When I first saw their pictures, I thought we should send them — well, I shouldn’t say this. I was going to call them Chuck and Nancy,” he said.

“But I realized I wouldn’t be pardoning them. I would never pardon those two people.”

“This is a big day, this is a pardon day for a very important beast,” President Donald Trump said.

The president wished Americans a happy Thanksgiving. Before Trump spoke the next sentence, the turkey gobbled during the pause. “That’s a very well trained turkey,” the president joked.

He said he plans to pardon two “handsome Thanksgiving turkeys” today before taking a jab at former President Joe Biden’s alleged use of an autopen.

Speaking of the two turkeys Biden pardoned last year, Trump said: “I have stopped that journey and I am officially pardoning them and they will not be served for Thanksgiving dinner.”

The president will soon pardon a turkey as part of the 78th annual National Turkey Presentation.

You can watch the ceremony live here.

Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy is launching an investigation into more than a dozen Democratic-led states to look into their compliance with President Donald Trump’s “Keeping men out of women’s sports” order.

The government will rescind federal funds from education programs that “deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities,” according to the February executive order.

The Senator plans to investigate California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington, D.C, according to a release. He claimed these states are “defying” Title IX.

Cassidy, the chair of Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, said that in his role, it is my priority to ensure women and girls have every opportunity to succeed on the field and in the classroom,” he said in a statement.

“This means ensuring that states receiving federal financial assistance for educational programs comply with federal law and federal agency directives.”

Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has unexpectedly broken with President Donald Trump over his proposal to hand out tariff dividend checks worth “at least” $2,000 to American taxpayers, saying bluntly: “We can’t afford it.”

During an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business Monday, Johnson, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, was asked: “So, what about the $2,000 checks the president has been talking about?

“Would that fly in terms of passing the Congress, or do you expect that the only way that could actually see the light of day is through a second reconciliation package?”

Joe Sommerlad has the story.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urges passengers to “dress a little bit better” when flying, advising against wearing pajamas, as holiday travel ramps up.

He said he’s noticed “a degradation in civility” among flight passengers, just ahead of some of the busiest travel days of the year. Airlines are expected to carry more than 31 million people from November 21 through December 1, according to trade association Airlines for America.

“You know, whether it’s a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better,” Duffy said Monday at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport.

“Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport. I think that’s positive.”

He also encouraged passengers to “say please and thank you to our pilots and to our flight attendants.”

Fox News’ Jesse Watters praised the Pentagon’s investigation into Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, proclaiming on air last night, “You have to make examples out of people.”

His comments came hours after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth launched an investigation into Kelly, a retired Navy commander, over a video he and five other Democrats posted urging members of the military to disobey illegal orders.

“You can’t have the deep state interfering with a duly elected presidency and get away with it,” Watters said on The Five. “You gotta draw the line in the sand…”

Co-host Kennedy chimed in, saying “I think that Senator Kelly might have violated the FAFO [F*** Around, Find Out] doctrine and he’s gonna find out the hard way that there, unfortunately, are consequences.”

She accused the six Democrats — all of whom are military veterans or intelligence community professionals — of attempting to muddy the waters around the chain of command.

Brendan Rascius has the story.

Gabby Giffords, former Arizona Senator and wife of Senator Mark Kelly, defended her husband after the Pentagon said it would probe the Democrat following his video message telling military service members they “can and must refuse illegal orders.”

Giffords wrote on X: “Intimidation tactics are not going to keep @SenMarkKelly from his duty to protect our constitution.”

“My husband is a patriot. He’s served our country since he was 22 years old – no matter how dangerous the mission. That’s who he is. Proud of you, sweetie.”