President Trump escalated his feud with Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) on Wednesday, accusing the congressman of disloyalty for remaining a Democrat after receiving a presidential pardon in 2025. The president's remarks came in a Truth Social post ahead of a rally in San Antonio, where he also endorsed Cuellar's Republican opponent.
Trump wrote that he had not made a "deal" with Cuellar in exchange for the pardon, which cleared the congressman and his wife of federal bribery and money laundering charges. "But I thought there would be a good chance that Cuellar, who was persecuted by Democrats because they didn't like him, would have routinely gone over to the Republican Party — The people that saved him from years in prison," Trump posted, before repeating the sentiment at the rally.
The president expressed disappointment that Cuellar announced his intention to stay a Democrat just days after the pardon, calling it "a tremendous act of disloyalty" and showing him to be "an extremely ungrateful person." Trump used his derogatory nickname for Democrats, referring to Cuellar as a "Dumocrat."
Cuellar and his wife had faced up to 20 years in prison after being accused of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes and laundering funds. Trump pardoned the couple after reading a plea from their daughters. The president also accused the Biden administration of targeting Cuellar because of disagreements on border policy.
Cuellar, who has represented Texas's 28th Congressional District since 2005, is running for reelection in November. The district, which is 87 percent Hispanic, was redrawn by the state legislature to favor Republicans in a mid-decade redistricting effort, making it a key battleground in the midterms. As Texas emerges as a pivotal state, Trump's involvement underscores the high stakes.
Trump voiced support for Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, calling him a "STAR" and hoping he would oust Cuellar. "We call that payback for a disloyal and ungrateful person, a person whose life has been saved only to go back into the clutches of the people that tried so hard to destroy him," Trump wrote, adding that Cuellar "should be serving a longterm jail sentence with his wife in a top level penitentiary."
The president's attack is part of a broader pattern of using his pardon power to pressure political figures, a tactic that has drawn criticism. Meanwhile, Democratic voters are energized by Trump's actions, which could galvanize turnout in competitive districts like Texas's 28th.
Cuellar has not responded directly to Trump's latest remarks, but his campaign has previously emphasized his record on border security and bipartisan work. The race is expected to be one of the most closely watched in the country, with both parties pouring resources into the district.
