Trump Slams Pardoned Democratic Congressman As ‘Disloyal’ For Not Switching Parties
Donald Trump is fuming at Rep. Henry Cuellar for refusing to switch parties after receiving a presidential pardon, accusing the South Texas Democrat of betraying him despite Trump wiping away federal bribery and conspiracy charges for both Cuellar and his wife.
Trump blasted Cuellar online for what he called a “lack of LOYALTY,” clearly expecting that clemency might have helped Republicans pad their razor-thin House majority heading into the 2026 midterms.
Cuellar brushed off the outrage during a Sunday television interview, describing himself as a conservative Democrat willing to work with the administration “to see where we can find common ground.” He said he prayed for Trump and the presidency that morning, adding that when a president succeeds, “the country succeeds.” Citing Lyndon Johnson, he said he is an American, a Texan and a Democrat in that order, arguing that anyone who puts party before country is doing the nation a disservice.
Trump complained that Cuellar was siding with “the same RADICAL LEFT” Biden administration that brought the charges against him and his wife. He even dragged Cuellar’s daughters into it, noting that they had personally written him asking for the pardon before declaring, “next time, no more Mr. Nice guy!”
Trump defended the pardon by claiming the case was a “weaponized” prosecution. Cuellar’s criticism of the Biden administration’s immigration policies had made him a valuable ally for Trump, who saw that alignment as justification for stepping in.
Behind the scenes, Republicans were hoping a party switch would give them an unexpected advantage after redrawing Texas’ congressional districts this year at Trump’s urging. The mid-cycle redistricting frenzy has now spilled into multiple states as the GOP fights to protect its narrow House majority and avoid a repeat of Trump’s first term, when Democrats used their control of the chamber to block his agenda and impeach him twice. Cuellar’s South Texas district, however, was barely touched, and he believes he can win reelection as is.
Federal prosecutors had accused Cuellar and his wife of taking thousands of dollars from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a Mexican bank in exchange for influencing legislation and delivering a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the House floor. Cuellar has maintained the couple’s innocence, claiming in the Fox interview that federal authorities tried to entrap him with “a sting operation to try to bribe me, and that failed.”
Even with the pardon, Cuellar still faces a House Ethics Committee investigation.
