WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has granted a full and unconditional pardon to Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, effectively ending the federal bribery and conspiracy case against them.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, President Trump framed the pardon as a corrective measure against what he described as a “weaponized” Department of Justice under the previous administration. The President argued that the charges against the moderate Democrat were political retaliation for Cuellar’s vocal criticism of President Biden’s border policies.
“For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them,” President Trump said in the statement. “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.’”
The pardon absolves the Cuellars of charges brought in a May 2024 indictment, which accused the couple of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a Mexican bank. Prosecutors had alleged the money was laundered through sham consulting contracts in exchange for legislative favors. The Cuellars had pleaded not guilty and were awaiting trial, which had been scheduled for early 2026.
President Trump, however, dismissed the prosecution as an “unAmerican” attack by “Radical Left Democrats” on a dissenting voice within their own party.
“Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH,” Trump stated. “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!”
Rep. Cuellar, a longtime fixture in South Texas politics, has frequently broken with his party leadership on issues regarding immigration and border security, a stance that President Trump highlighted as the primary motivation for his clemency.
