"The office of the presidency, the most powerful position in the world, brings with it many awesome and solemn responsibilities -- this is not one of them," joked Obama as he announced his pardon for a plump 37 lb (17 kilo) turkey named Popcorn.
"By the power vested in me...You have a full reprieve from cranberry sauce and stuffing," Obama added in a lighthearted ceremony, flanked by his daughters Sasha and Malia.
Caramel, however, was also spared. "He's not sticking around -- he's already busy raising money for his next campaign," Obama quipped.
The two turkeys will be taken to Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, outside the US capital, before heading for a happy retirement at a farm in Virginia.
Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated American holidays, a family gathering that typically brings people from far and wide for a feast of stuffed roast turkey and all the trimmings.