TORONTO -- A pair of turkeys due to be pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump spent the night at a swanky Washington, D.C. hotel ahead of their pardoning.
The presidential turkey and his alternate arrived at The Willard Intercontinental Hotel in D.C. on Sunday. Photos released Monday by the White House show a thick layer of sawdust on the hotel room’s carpeted floor as the turkeys lounge on fresh, white sheets.
A two-bed room in the hotel starts at US$422 per night. Presidential turkeys have stayed at the very same hotel before, including under U.S. President Barack Obama.
The White House – which has been embroiled in the explosive impeachment hearings for several weeks, along with new documents that show that Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani was in contact with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the months before the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine was abruptly recalled – has opened an online poll asking voters to help choose which turkey will be pardoned.
Out of 15 different pairs of names for the turkeys, Trump chose “Bread” and “Butter.”
Turkey farmer Wellie Jackson said the Bread and Butter enjoyed listening to classic rock music in their barn, where they also kicked around a soccer ball with his kids.
“They’ve had a couple rounds playing soccer, they’re not real good at it,” Jackson said at a press conference Monday.
Turkeys have been presented to U.S. presidents for the last 72 years, and received pardons sporadically. It wasn’t until 1989, under U.S. President George H.W. Bush, that pardons became a tradition.
Following their pardoning, Bread and Butter will live out the rest of their days at a farm in Virginia with their predecessors, Peas and Carrots.
Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday.
