U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a full and unconditional pardon to Texas Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, erasing all federal bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy charges tied to an Azerbaijan-linked foreign influence scheme involving more than $600,000 routed through shell companies connected to SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state oil and gas company. The sweeping pardon immediately renewed scrutiny of Cuellar’s deep ties to Azerbaijan’s regime and sparked strong condemnation from Armenian advocacy groups, which noted the case exposed one of the most serious foreign-influence operations ever uncovered in Congress.
On December 3, U.S. President Donald Trump issued the pardon and released a statement on Truth Social in which he accused the Biden administration of weaponizing the Justice Department and claimed Cuellar had been targeted for opposing the administration’s border policies. Trump’s full statement reads as follows: “For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them. One of the clearest examples of this was when Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to “take out” a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border “Catastrophe.” Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy. They will 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. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight, Your nightmare is finally over!”
Cuellar responded by posting a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social statement on X, thanking the President and framing the pardon as a reset for his family and his work in South Texas. His full statement reads as follows: “I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas. This pardon gives us a clean slate. 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.”
Alex Galitsky, ANCA’s Policy Director, replied to Cuellar’s post, sharply criticizing the congressman’s praise for the pardon. Galitsky wrote: “You took $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan, one of the world’s most corrupt regimes, and worked on its behalf to block aid to Armenians suffering as a result of Azerbaijan’s aggression. The only House you should be serving time in is the jailhouse.”
Galitsky also posted a second statement on X, noting: “Over a year since he was indicted for taking $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan, Rep Cuellar has been pardoned by Trump. As Gev Iskajyan and I wrote in Huff Post – Congress must condemn Azerbaijan’s malign interference in US democracy and expel Rep Cuellar.” The article referenced from HuffPost can be read here.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) also condemned the pardon, issuing a series of statements calling for Rep. Cuellar’s expulsion from Congress. ANCA emphasized that Armenians in the United States were directly harmed by Cuellar’s alleged role in advancing Azerbaijan’s interests against the Armenian people and reiterated that Congress must take action. The organization directed the public to its campaign urging the House of Representatives to expel Cuellar, which can be accessed at http://anca.org/expel.
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian said: “Trump’s pardon of Rep Cuellar represents a free pass for foreign bribes, a billboard atop the White House announcing to the world that it’s pay-to-play in Washington. Azerbaijan First foreign policy, at the expense of the American people. #ExpelCuellar”
ANCA added: “Americans of Armenian heritage, victims of Rep Cuellar’s criminal conspiracy with Azerbaijan to rig US foreign policy against Christian Armenians, renew calls on Congress to #ExpelCuellar.” In additional statements, the organization said: “The US Federal indictment of US Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) for taking $600,000 in Azerbaijani bribes is just the tip of the iceberg. Call on the House to expel Rep Cuellar: http://anca.org/expel,” and, “It’s Time For Congress To Expel Henry Cuellar. The Texas Democrat is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee and already faces numerous federal charges, including bribery and money laundering.”
Cuellar’s legal troubles intensified after FBI agents raided his home and campaign office in 2022 as part of a broader federal investigation into Azerbaijan-linked influence operations in the United States. The raid foreshadowed the charges that would later follow, tying his office directly to foreign actors aligned with Baku’s interests.
Cuellar’s case gained political attention because of his public break with President Joe Biden on immigration. Representing a South Texas district along the United States Mexico border, Cuellar had been one of the most vocal Democratic critics of the administration’s handling of record migrant crossings and repeatedly urged the White House to treat the situation as a crisis and visit the border. Trump used that history to frame the prosecution as political retaliation, presenting the pardon as a correction to what he called a weaponized Justice Department.
Cuellar previously served as co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, a position that placed him among the most active advocates of Azerbaijani interests in Congress.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Cuellar and his wife were involved in a years-long foreign influence and bribery scheme tied to Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. According to the indictment, the couple allegedly accepted up to $600,000 in bribes routed through shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar and sham consulting contracts that involved little to no legitimate work. In exchange, Cuellar allegedly agreed to advance the interests of an Azerbaijan-controlled state oil and gas company and a bank in Mexico through his actions in Congress and in dealings with senior United States officials.
Prosecutors said Cuellar used his position, including his role on the House Appropriations Committee, to influence United States foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan, support legislation beneficial to Baku, and deliver a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the House floor. He was also accused of agreeing to influence legislative activity and pressure high-ranking Executive Branch officials on measures favorable to the Mexican bank. The charges filed in 2024 included bribery, conspiracy, unlawful foreign influence, money laundering, and acting as an unregistered agent of foreign principals. Cuellar and his wife had pleaded not guilty, and their trial had been scheduled for 2026 before Trump’s pardon ended the case.
The pardon effectively ends one of the most significant foreign-influence criminal cases in recent congressional history. Public commentary has also pointed to court filings showing that Imelda Cuellar established a shell consulting company through which payments were routed, while Rep. Cuellar allegedly took actions that benefited Azerbaijan and raised potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). These activities were detailed across multiple years dating back to 2014 and formed the basis of the federal charges, underscoring that the case centered on documented foreign influence schemes rather than claims of political persecution.
The case also exposed a broader Azerbaijan-backed influence network operating in the United States, including Azerbaijani nationals connected to SOCAR-affiliated entities who helped route payments, transmit false invoices, and coordinate financial transfers that ultimately benefited the Cuellars. Multiple individuals tied to this network have already pleaded guilty.
Multiple individuals tied to the scheme had already pleaded guilty, including an Azerbaijani national who admitted to acting as an unregistered foreign agent and facilitating SOCAR-linked payments to the Cuellars. Trump’s post did not reference Azerbaijan or the broader foreign-agent investigation, focusing instead on his claim that the prosecution was politically motivated. The Justice Department has not yet issued a public response.
Cuellar, who has denied wrongdoing since the indictment was unsealed in May 2024, said he intends to continue serving his South Texas district.
