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11h ago

Trump Blasts Cuellar’s ‘Lack of Loyalty’ After Pardon as Democrat Seeks Reelection

Trump’s public rebuke shifts attention from a closed criminal case to partisan fallout over Cuellar’s decision to run again as a Democrat.

FILE - Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, speaks during a hearing of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations on Capitol Hill, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales, left, and Henry Cuellar, right, participate in a discussion on taking politics out of problem solving during the Texas Tribune Festival in 2023. Cuellar, the controversial South Texas lawmaker, might not vote with the national party on every issue, but Democrats will need his help if they want to flip the U.S. House.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) questions Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on the DHS budget request on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2024. REUTERS/Michael A. McCoy/File Photo
House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) questions Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 06, 2025 in Washington, D.C.; U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors Medallion Reception at the U.S. Department of State on December 06, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

Overview

  • In a Sunday Truth Social post, the president criticized Rep. Henry Cuellar for filing to run as a Democrat days after granting full, unconditional pardons to Cuellar and his wife.
  • Cuellar responded on Fox News that he remains a Democrat, said he votes based on what he believes is right for the country, and emphasized he is willing to work with the administration.
  • Texas Democratic Party records show Cuellar filed for reelection as a Democrat, positioning him for a competitive 2026 race in a district Republicans recently redrew to favor the GOP.
  • The pardon ended the federal bribery and money-laundering case tied to roughly $600,000 in alleged payments from an Azerbaijani state-linked energy firm and a Mexican bank, after a judge earlier dropped foreign-agent counts.
  • Cuellar has accused the Biden-era Justice Department of politicizing the case and, according to Politico, has discussed helping House Republicans investigate the prosecutors, while a House Ethics Committee inquiry continues.