Washington, Nov 22 (TIWN) US President Joe Biden has pardoned a pair of turkeys as he discharged the presidential duty of the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon.

The National Turkey Federation has donated turkeys to the president ahead of Thanksgiving since 1947 under President Harry Truman. President John F. Kennedy is believed to be the first president to spare the turkey, and President George H. W. Bush was the first to formalize the "pardon" tradition.

Biden last year pardoned turkeys named "Peanut Butter" and "Jelly" from Indiana. This year’s turkeys, "Chocolate" and "Chip," which the president noted is his favorite ice cream flavor, come from North Carolina.