WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a full and unconditional pardon for Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and his wife, Imelda, ending a federal bribery case that accused the couple of accepting nearly $600,000 from foreign interests. Cuellar was indicted in 2024 on 14 counts, including bribery and money laundering, tied to payments from an Azerbaijani state-owned oil company and a Mexican bank, according to the Associated Press.
Trump announced the pardon on Truth Social, claiming the Justice Department targeted Cuellar for criticizing Biden administration immigration policies. He argued the congressman and his wife were victims of political retribution, writing that they were pursued “simply for speaking the truth.” Trump also shared a letter from Cuellar’s two daughters, who urged the White House to intervene and described their father as independent and unfairly scrutinized.
A judge dismissed two counts against Cuellar earlier this year, though the remaining charges were set for trial in 2026. Cuellar, a centrist Democrat who has frequently clashed with the Biden administration over border policy, has continued to deny wrongdoing.
The pardon follows a recent pattern in which Trump has granted clemency to individuals he claims were politically targeted, including former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.
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