Trump pardons Congressman Cuellar despite Azerbaijan bribery case

(Horizon Weekly) – President Donald Trump has issued a full and unconditional pardon to Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, abruptly ending one of the most serious foreign influence prosecutions ever brought against a sitting member of Congress. The case centered on more than $600,000 in illicit payments tied to Azerbaijan’s state oil company, SOCAR, routed through shell companies and sham consulting contracts.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Cuellar used his authority, including his seat on the House Appropriations Committee, to advance the interests of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime. According to court filings, he delivered pro Azerbaijan messages on the House floor, pressured senior United States officials on matters beneficial to Baku, and allowed his office to become an entry point for a coordinated foreign influence network. Several individuals within that network have already pleaded guilty.

Rather than address these facts, Trump justified the pardon by claiming that the Justice Department had targeted Cuellar for his criticism of the Biden Administration’s border policies. In doing so, Trump chose to ignore the extensive evidence of foreign money laundering, sham contracts, and the involvement of Azerbaijani state linked actors. The message is unmistakable. By reducing a documented foreign bribery scheme to a partisan border dispute, Trump effectively signaled that foreign funded misconduct can be excused if it fits a political narrative.

Cuellar quickly thanked Trump and said the decision would allow his family to move forward. The Justice Department has not yet issued a response.

Armenian advocacy organizations sharply condemned the pardon. ANCA Policy Director Alex Galitsky noted that Cuellar’s work on behalf of Azerbaijan harmed Armenians at moments when Baku was escalating its campaign against the Armenian people. The Armenian National Committee of America renewed its call on Congress to expel Cuellar, arguing that the pardon does nothing to erase the underlying corruption or the damage done to United States policy making.

The decision leaves lingering questions about accountability in Washington. A major foreign influence case has been swept aside, not through vindication, but through a political calculation that disregards both the facts of the indictment and the broader threat posed by Azerbaijan’s interference efforts. Cuellar says he intends to remain in office, even as the shadow of the scandal continues to grow.