President Donald Trump has issued a full pardon to Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife, Imelda, wiping away federal charges including bribery and money laundering tied to a 2024 indictment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries backed the move, calling the case against Cuellar “very thin” and saying the pardon produced “the right outcome.”
President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a full and unconditional pardon to Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and his wife, Imelda, lifting a federal corruption case that had loomed over the conservative Democrat since last year.
Cuellar and his wife were indicted in May 2024 during the Biden administration on charges including bribery, money laundering, and acting as foreign agents or advancing the interests of foreign entities. Prosecutors alleged the couple accepted about $600,000 in payments between 2014 and 2021 connected to an Azerbaijan government‑linked oil and gas company and a Mexican bank in Mexico City, in exchange for Cuellar using his office to promote their interests, according to the indictment as summarized by multiple outlets, including the Washington Examiner and other national media.
Trump had criticized the case since shortly after the indictment, portraying it as an example of what he calls a politicized Justice Department. In past and recent posts on Truth Social, cited by the Washington Examiner, Trump claimed that President Joe Biden and his administration had used federal law enforcement to "take out" Cuellar because the Texas lawmaker opposed Biden’s border and immigration policies and supported stricter border controls.
In announcing the pardon this week, Trump again framed Cuellar as a victim of a "weaponized" justice system. In a Truth Social statement reported by the Washington Examiner, Trump described Cuellar as a “beloved Texas Congressman” and said he did not know Cuellar personally but believed the charges were unjust. Trump’s public justification centered on Cuellar’s vocal criticism of Biden’s approach to the southern border.
Cuellar has consistently denied wrongdoing. In a statement issued when he was charged in May 2024, he declared that he and his wife were innocent of the allegations. Following the pardon, Cuellar reiterated that stance and expressed gratitude to Trump. In a post on X highlighted by the Washington Examiner, he thanked the president for giving his family a “clean slate,” said the decision "clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas," and pledged to continue his work for his constituents.
The pardon also followed a public clemency appeal from Cuellar’s daughters, who had written to Trump arguing that their parents’ conduct complied with legal advice and guidance from the House Ethics Committee. Their letter was reported by conservative outlets that have closely followed the case.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) offered rare support for Trump’s use of the pardon power in this instance. In an interview with CNN, quoted by Newsmax and other outlets, Jeffries called Cuellar “a beloved member of the House of Representatives” and said the indictment was “very thin” in his view. He added that he believed the charges were likely to be dismissed eventually, either by a trial court or by the Supreme Court, and that Trump’s action produced “exactly the right outcome,” even as he said he did not know why the president chose to intervene.
Jeffries also dismissed speculation that Cuellar might switch parties, according to coverage in several political outlets. He emphasized that Cuellar remains a valued member of the House Democratic caucus. Axios has similarly reported that Trump’s decision surprised Republican leaders and campaign strategists who had targeted Cuellar’s South Texas seat as a key pickup opportunity.
Cuellar represents a South Texas border district that Trump carried in the 2024 presidential election, making the seat one of the more competitive Democratic‑held districts in the House. Recent analyses, including those cited by national political publications, have characterized his 2026 reelection race as highly competitive, with both parties viewing the district as a potential tipping point in the battle for House control.
The pardon fits into a broader pattern of contentious clemency decisions by Trump during his second term, which have drawn sharp criticism from many Democrats and some legal experts. While Trump has focused largely on political allies and figures aligned with his agenda, the decision to extend clemency to a Democrat who has often broken with his party on immigration underscores the complex political calculations surrounding his use of the pardon power.
