Trump Surprises With Pardon of House Democrat: ‘Your Nightmare Is Finally Over!’
President Donald Trump meets with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump pardoned Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) on Wednesday, claiming that the Democrat had been unfairly targeted by the Biden administration.
Cueller was indicted in May of 2024 on charges including for allegedly taking over $600,000 in foreign bribes and money laundering. Poltico’s Kyle Cheney noted at the time that if convicted, Cuellar and his wife, who is also under indictment, “face long prison terms.”
“For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them,” began Trump on Truth Social Wednesday, making clear the pardon was a slap at Biden. Trump added:
One of the clearest examples of this was when Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to “take out” a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border “Catastrophe.” Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy! They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda, an Agenda that, if left unchecked, will obliterate our magnificent Country. Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!
Cuellar was accused of taking a bribe from Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company and laundering it through a bank in Mexico. “In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan,” wrote the Justice Department in its statement announcing the indictment.
The Texas Democrat won reelection last November, despite the charges, and is on track to run unopposed in the Democratic primary in order to keep his seat yet again.
Trump has been on a clemency spree lately, pardoning convicted fraudsters and drug kingpins– including the former president of Honduras, who U.S. authorities said was at the center of “one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.”
This is a developing story and has been updated.
