Turkey pardon: Donald Trump jokes about elections as he spares national Thanksgiving birds

Donald Trump has used the annual presidential Thanksgiving turkey pardon to take a swipe at a number of issues that have irritated him in recent weeks.

Mr Trump's poultry pardon means the two turkeys — a 39-pound bird named Peas, who was officially chosen as the national Thanksgiving turkey, and a 41-pounder named Carrots — will get to live the rest of their lives at Virginia Tech university. Both were raised on a farm near Huron, South Dakota.

First Lady Melania Trump joined her husband for the act of mercy carried out during a light-hearted ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.

However, Mr Trump could not help taking a dig at the current state of Washington.

“That turkey is so lucky. I've never seen such a beautiful turkey,” Mr. Trump said of Peas. The president joked about the decision alluding to close recounts in the recent Florida governor and Senate races, which Republicans ultimately won.

“Unfortunately, Carrots refused to concede, and called for a recount,” Mr Trump said.

He also joked that Peas and Carrots would be issued subpoenas by House Democrats, amid reports that the party could launch a number of investigations into the Trump administration now that it controls the House of Representatives.

Mr Trump also said that his pardons of the turkeys would be subject to a decision by the 9th Circuit Court, which has often ruled against Mr Trump's policies.

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