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What Kind Of Dirty, Nasty, Sleazy New Trump Pardon Deals Are These?

The column discusses Trump’s pardon of Cuellar and his wife amid the couple’s past bribery charges.

What Kind Of Dirty, Nasty, Sleazy New Trump Pardon Deals Are These?
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This article1 analysis · Oct 12, 2026
Wonkette
Dec 4, 2025
tl;dr

A critical opinion column examines President Donald Trump’s pardons and clemencies, including pardons for Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, a former Honduran president, and people convicted of drug offenses. It questions the reasons behind the pardons and argues they conflict with the administration’s other actions.

Community verdict

34 VOTES
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Henry Cuellar D · TX-28

Counts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 5

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People in this story

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Henry Cuellar
D · TX-28

Representative who received a presidential pardon

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who issued the pardons discussed

Trump's version of this story ↗
Pete Hegseth
R · Secretary of Defense

Secretary of Defense, referenced in a comparison about strikes on boats

Former president whose Justice Department raided the Cuellars’ home

Representative mentioned as the spouse of a person Trump pardoned

Marco Rubio
Secretary of State

Secretary of State who the article says crafted a deal with El Salvador’s president

ALSO MENTIONED  Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Former president of Mexico mentioned in connection with a kidnapping and transfer to U.S. custody; Juan Orlando Hernández, Former president of Honduras who received a Trump pardon; Nasry “Tito” Asfura, Honduran presidential candidate discussed in connection with Trump’s support for Hernández; Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador discussed in connection with a deal involving cartel informants; Roger Stone, Political operative said to have claimed he pushed for Hernández’s pardon

Part of a bigger story

5 OUTLETS
Trump Pardons Representative Henry Cuellar

President Donald Trump pardoned Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, who faced federal charges including bribery-related allegations. Left-leaning outlets question the reasons for the pardon and portray it as potentially corrupt and hypocritical. Center outlets focus on explaining the charges, case history and denials, while also noting responses to the pardon. Right-leaning outlets differ: one ties the pardon to Cuellar’s border-security stance, while another presents it as a political strategy and stresses corruption allegations against him.

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