WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he would pardon Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who was indicted last year on bribery and money laundering charges.
In his Truth Social post, Trump accused Democrats of working to "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," Trump said in the post, referring to Cuellar's wife, who also faces charges.
"Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!" he continued.
Cuellar thanked Trump on X "for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts."
"This pardon gives us a clean slate," Cuellar said in his post. "The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on. Thank you Mr. President, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America."
Asked about any conversations with the White House ahead of the pardon, Cuellar told reporters that he "didn’t know that this was coming." He said he planned to attend a White House Christmas party next week, where he planned to "thank the president personally."
Asked whether any deal was cut with the White House, Cuellar said, "No."
In his Truth Social post, Trump shared a letter from Cuellar's daughters, Christina and Catherine, urging him to pardon their father.
"When you and your family faced your own challenges, we understood that pain in a very human way," they wrote. "We prayed for you and your family — for your strength, your peace, and your faith to stay strong — because we know that behind the headlines, there are real people who hurt, who love, and who still hope for better days."
Seth DuCharme, one of Cuellar’s lawyers, declined to comment. A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a CNN interview Wednesday that the indictment against Cuellar was “very thin to begin with.”
“I think the outcome was exactly the right outcome,” he said, responding to a question about whether he agreed with the pardon.
The Justice Department indicted Cuellar and his wife in May 2024 on 14 counts, including bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. In August, a U.S. district court dismissed two of the counts, which were related to alleged violations of the Foreign Agent Registration Act.
The indictment accused the couple of accepting "at least $598,000 in bribes from two foreign entities" in exchange for Cuellar’s agreeing "to perform official acts in his capacity as a Member of Congress."
"The bribe payments were laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by IMELDA CUELLAR," the initial indictment said, alleging that she "performed little or no legitimate work under the sham contracts."
The indictment accused Henry Cuellar of promising "to use the power and prestige of his office to advance" the interests of Azerbaijan and an unnamed foreign bank.
Both Cuellars pleaded not guilty.
