Trump calls Illinois governor a 'fat slob' and targets Democrats in chaotic Thanksgiving ceremony
🚨 LMAO! President Trump: “I'm not going to tell my Pritzker joke. A very cute little joke, you know.”
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 25, 2025
“I don't talk about people being fat.”
I REFUSE to talk about the fact that he's a FAT SLOB. I don't mention it!” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/KGtOQh3vAP
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump turned the time-honored tradition of the White House turkey pardon into a political rally on Tuesday, November 25, using the Rose Garden event to roast his enemies, tout his economic wins, and mock Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, the president officially pardoned the life of Gobble, a North Carolina turkey, to mark the Thanksgiving holiday.
However, the ceremony quickly veered off script as Trump unleashed a series of jokes targeting Democrats.
Trump insinuates that JB Pritzker is a 'fat slob'
In a moment that stunned the press, Trump launched into an extended critique of crime in Chicago before turning his ire toward the state's Democratic governor.
"I refuse to talk about the fact he is a fat slob," Trump declared, utilizing a rhetorical device to say exactly what he claimed he wouldn't.
The president claimed that he had cut a joke about Pritzker's weight from his prepared remarks but decided to share his thoughts anyway.
He then pivoted to his own physique, joking that he would like to lose weight himself but that it "won't be happening" this Thanksgiving because he planned to enjoy the turkey.
President declares Joe Biden's pardons invalid
Trump also took a swipe at his predecessor, claiming Joe Biden's turkey pardons from last year were null and void because they were signed with an "auto pen."
In a move framing himself as the ultimate savior, Trump announced that he had located last year's birds, Peach and Blossom, just before they were set to be killed.
.@POTUS: "The turkeys being pardoned today go by the names Gobble and Waddle. When I first saw their pictures... I was going to call them Chuck and Nancy — but then I realized I wouldn't be pardoning them. I would never pardon those two people." 🤣 pic.twitter.com/XuhIbTGUbI
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 25, 2025
"I am officially pardoning them... We saved them in the nick of time," the president joked, retroactively applying his executive clemency to Biden's birds.
He also joked about naming the turkeys "Chuck and Nancy" after his longtime Democratic rivals, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, but decided against it. "I realized I wouldn't be pardoning them. I would never pardon those two people," he quipped.
Turkeys certified 'MAHA' by Robert F Kennedy Jr
.@POTUS: "These are two of the largest Turkey’s ever presented to an American president—over 50 pounds each... despite their size, @SecKennedy has formally certified that these are the first ever MAHA turkeys." pic.twitter.com/H5kW4yM1Rn
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 25, 2025
Trump announced that Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr had certified this year's birds as the "first-ever MAHA turkeys," a nod to the "Make America Healthy Again" slogan.
"They could be fat but they are still MAHA," Trump joked. "They have eaten every fattening food you can eat. We wanted to make them special."
While Gobble received his unconditional pardon, the second bird, Waddle, was reportedly "missing in action," though Trump assured the crowd it was "okay."
Trump touts his affordability achievements
🚨Thanksgiving meal is 25% LOWER than LAST YEAR!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 25, 2025
Thanksgiving Turkey $ is DOWN 33% from Biden-era.
Potatoes are DOWN 30%.
Ham is DOWN 15% compared to last Thanksgiving.
Egg prices are DOWN 86% since March.
Gasoline will soon be hovering around $2/gallon.
Keep this up👏 pic.twitter.com/QhMklfVne0
Never missing a chance to talk business, the president used the platform to highlight his "affordability" achievements. He claimed credit for bringing egg prices down "86% since March" and predicted gas would soon hover at around "$2 a gallon."
"We have passed the largest tax cuts in history," Trump reminded the attendees, ensuring that the holiday message was paired with a reminder of his economic record.
