Trump criticises Henry Cuellar over not switching parties after pardon

Texas Representative Henry Cuellar is running for re-election as a Democrat after Trump pardoned him.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationWatch DocumentariesTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthWatch DocumentariesNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveTrump criticises Democrat he pardoned over not switching political parties19 hours agoShareSaveGrace Eliza GoodwinShareSaveCQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesDonald Trump has slammed Democrat Henry Cuellar's "lack of loyalty" for not defecting to the Republican party after he was pardoned by the US president.

In issuing his pardon on Wednesday, Trump said the Texas representative - who was charged last year with bribery and money laundering - had been politically targeted by the Biden administration after he "bravely spoke out against Open Borders".

Hours after he was pardoned, Cuellar filed for re-election as a Democrat, dashing Republicans' hope that he might switch parties and pad their narrow majority in the House of Representatives.

"Such a lack of LOYALTY," Trump wrote of Cuellar on social media. "Oh' well, next time, no more Mr. Nice guy!"

The Justice Department, under the Biden administration, charged that Cuellar and his wife had accepted $600,000 (£450,600) from Azerbaijan's state-owned oil company and an unnamed Mexican bank in exchange for advancing their interests in Congress.