Ronald Reagan was the first to formally use the term "pardon" in regard to a turkey, the History Channel reports. In 1987, Reagan was asked by reporters if he'd pardon his aides who had been ...

President Bill Clinton once suggested the White House turkey pardon dated back to President Harry Truman, though Truman's library in a ... Ronald Reagan and Carter all also opted to spare some ...

Gifting the White House poultry can be traced back to the 1800s, but the origins of the ceremonial presidential pardon of the National Thanksgiving Turkey might be more recent than you'd think.