By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday showed that at least one thing in Washington would run according to tradition: the pardoning of a Thanksgiving turkey.

In the Rose Garden, Trump stuck to the script in pardoning a 42-pound turkey named Corn as part of an annual presidential ritual, the sparing of a turkey from American dinner tables on the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.

“Corn, I hereby grant you a full pardon,” Trump said, raising a hand over the white bird with long wattle.

Corn gobbled approvingly after the pardon to applause from the seated crowd of White House staffers, many of them wearing masks to guard against the coronavirus.

(Reporting By Steve Holland)