New Delhi, Nov. 26 -- US President Donald Trump granted clemency to two massive white-feathered turkeys-Gobble and Waddle-on Tuesday, continuing one of the White House's most lighthearted holiday traditions. Both birds, each weighing more than 50 pounds (23 kg), were raised on a farm in North Carolina and were treated to a night at the upscale Willard InterContinental Hotel ahead of their appearance.

Despite the festive atmosphere, Trump used the annual event to deliver a series of political jabs while adding to the more than 1,600 pardons he has issued during his current term.

The ceremonial pardon traces its roots to 1989, when President George HW Bush formally established the Thanksgiving ritual. Trump upheld that legacy while adding...