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Tommy Carcetti

(44,499 posts)
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:09 AM Dec 2025

BREAKING NEWS: Trump rescinds Cuellar clemency, citing "totally illegal" pardon

Angry at what he perceived to be insufficient gratitude, President Donald Trump announced today he is now rescinding his own pardon he awarded Congressman Henry Cuellar, with specific instructions that the Texas Democrat “immediately be remanded to the custody of the Department of Justice, where he will be returned to his prison and serve out the remainder of his sentence.”

In March 2024, Cuellar was indicted on federal charges of money laundering, bribery and conspiracy, but was granted a pardon by Trump last week; as of the time of his pardon, Cuellar had not yet been convicted, sentenced or even gone to trial on those charges.

Cuellar did express gratitude for Trump’s pardon but then announced he would be running for re-election as a Democrat as opposed to switching parties, a move that infuriated the President and caused him to take the unprecedented move of revoking what was previously deemed to be a “full and unconditional pardon” of Cuellar.

As grounds for the revocation, Trump cited his alleged use of the so-called Autopen on Cuellar’s pardon document as reason to declare it null and void.

“Maybe if Representative Cellular had been lucky enough to have been pardoned under Sleepy Joe Biden, who loved to use the Autopen so, so much, maybe things would have been different for him,” Trump told reporters gathered at the Oval Office earlier today. “Unfortunately for him, he’s dealing with a different President, a President who knows that any document that uses the Autopen has no effect whatsoever.”

Trump has previously decried his predecessor’s use of Autopen on various documents and has even threatened to declare all of President Joe Biden’s actions null and void on such grounds, alleging that there was no proof that the former President had knowingly signed any such documents while in office.

“Try enforcing a mortgage or a car loan with anything other than your own in-person signature,” Trump continued. “You can’t do it. It can’t be done. Everyone knows that for a document to be fully legal, it has to be signed with your own hand and with an actual pen or thick sharpie marker. Or a quill, which many of our founding fathers used. Quills. They don’t teach that to our children in schools anymore, that our founding fathers used to write with quills. Not pens, but quills. Which people don’t realize are actually just big feathers. I guess quills aren’t just woke or politically correct enough these days. But that’s going to change now, believe me. We’re all going to be using quills again soon.”

“I’ll tell you this, though,” Trump added. “If I knew Representative Cellar was going to do the right thing and immediately express his undevoted loyalty to Trump, instead of that Autopen I would have used that real pen to sign his pardon. Or a quill, even.”

The President then proceeded to justify to reporters his revocation of Cuellar’s pardon on other grounds, including his own mental awareness of the pardon.

“I’m sure you all saw me pictures of me napping during that recent Cabinet meeting,” Trump said. “And it was a wonderful nap. I’d even say it was the perfect nap. But maybe that’s when I decided to pardon Representative Cooler. When I was sleeping. It was a sleep pardon.”

“But everyone knows you can’t enforce a sleep pardon,” Trump continued to explain. “Because think of it—everyone sleeps. So technically, anyone could attempt to pardon anyone in their sleep, and that would mean chaos. Only I can pardon people. That’s not just me who says that. It’s in the rule book. You can look it up. It says right here that sleep pardons are just not as good as real pardons.”

The President then proceeded to hold up what appeared to be a black planning notebook with the words “Presidential Rules of Pardoning People” crudely written on masking tape affixed to its cover and waived it around in front of the media.

Meanwhile, Representative Cuellar appeared fully resigned to his fate and had reportedly already packed his bags for an undetermined prison sentence at an unspecified location.

“Am I disappointed?” Cuellar asked. “Certainly, I am. But for an ever-brief moment, I learned the one thing a person needed to gain the respect of Donald Trump, and that one thing was to be charged with multiple felonies. And at least I’ll have that, I suppose.”

DETAILS AT ELEVEN.

45 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
BREAKING NEWS: Trump rescinds Cuellar clemency, citing "totally illegal" pardon (Original Post) Tommy Carcetti Dec 2025 OP
Had me going.... NT Happy Hoosier Dec 2025 #1
Me too PatSeg Dec 2025 #22
I thought it was real until I read your response. It's sad that such outlandish stuff can be deemed credible. How Jmb 4 Harris-Walz Dec 2025 #39
Damn, you nearly had me there! Ocelot II Dec 2025 #2
Is this satire?? hookaleft Dec 2025 #3
Yeah, it's satire, MarineCombatEngineer Dec 2025 #7
It is very believable give Trump mushy 'brain'--and his pathological vindictiveness!! riversedge Dec 2025 #19
Yup. It's so very much like something he'd do out of vindictiveness it sounded genuine. Texin Dec 2025 #31
That is why I check the links first! niyad Dec 2025 #27
The image at the bottom tells you that. It is a known satire site, niyad Dec 2025 #26
It is Maria Stephanos and Mark Ockerbloom from WFXT Fox 25 in Boston. The pic is at least 10 years old. Celerity Dec 2025 #42
I can't believe that that's satire... PCIntern Dec 2025 #4
I like the idea that some pardons are illegal bucolic_frolic Dec 2025 #5
Ya know, I almost believed it because..... MarineCombatEngineer Dec 2025 #6
That's the first thing I thought when I read his post whining about Cuellar's lack of gratitude - Ocelot II Dec 2025 #8
Very good question. nt MarineCombatEngineer Dec 2025 #14
Sometimes you need to stress "satire" because with Trump it sounds totally plausible. Vinca Dec 2025 #9
The image at the bottom told us that. niyad Dec 2025 #28
he just wants to see if he can use th autipen business to rescind a pardon rampartd Dec 2025 #10
Trying to fool people with misinformation masquerading as satire is not funny. Nt Fiendish Thingy Dec 2025 #11
Meh. Tommy Carcetti Dec 2025 #13
hi can you walk me through what the difference of what satire and misinformation masquerading as satire looks like WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2025 #17
Agreed +100. Disaffected Dec 2025 #20
It is clearly satire, indicated by the image at the bottom. niyad Dec 2025 #29
OK, explain that to me. Disaffected Dec 2025 #32
In all the time you have been here, you have never seen this image? niyad Dec 2025 #33
Oh, how foolish of me. Disaffected Dec 2025 #37
Got me! dickthegrouch Dec 2025 #12
That is why one checks the link, or image at the botom, first. niyad Dec 2025 #30
The Revoked Pardon gfarber Dec 2025 #15
Put Cuellar on "Running Man" Kid Berwyn Dec 2025 #16
You got me MustLoveBeagles Dec 2025 #18
Ok, you had me going for a minute! yardwork Dec 2025 #21
He'll always fixate on some ridiculous tangent. Tommy Carcetti Dec 2025 #38
You had me there SSJVegeta Dec 2025 #23
This message was self-deleted by its author Martin68 Dec 2025 #24
I had to check the link, or, in this case, the pic. I have to say, I am amused niyad Dec 2025 #25
That is very old photo - woman is anchor on different station Justice Dec 2025 #34
I'm curious as to who they are. Tommy Carcetti Dec 2025 #40
It is Maria Stephanos and Mark Ockerbloom from WFXT Fox 25 in Boston. The pic is at least 10 years old. Celerity Dec 2025 #43
I am going to put you on ignore, so that you don't ever waste my time again. Intractable Dec 2025 #35
I would say don't... Tommy Carcetti Dec 2025 #36
Sadly, this is totally believable. Nixie Dec 2025 #41
UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Sorry, Diaper Sleepy Don.... Jack Valentino Dec 2025 #44
They've REALLY got Trmp's style down. He gives the guy a different name every time, and rambles WAY off topic ! eppur_se_muova Dec 2025 #45

Jmb 4 Harris-Walz

(1,117 posts)
39. I thought it was real until I read your response. It's sad that such outlandish stuff can be deemed credible. How
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 08:38 PM
Dec 2025

low we’ve sunk!

Texin

(2,851 posts)
31. Yup. It's so very much like something he'd do out of vindictiveness it sounded genuine.
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 02:14 PM
Dec 2025

niyad

(132,451 posts)
26. The image at the bottom tells you that. It is a known satire site,
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 02:02 PM
Dec 2025

frequently posted here on DU.

bucolic_frolic

(55,147 posts)
5. I like the idea that some pardons are illegal
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:17 AM
Dec 2025

but I doubt Trumpie would want to go down that rabbit hole

MarineCombatEngineer

(18,060 posts)
6. Ya know, I almost believed it because.....
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:19 AM
Dec 2025

this is something Flim Flam Man would try to do, in fact, I'm kinda shocked that he hasn't taken to his "Truth Social" platform yet to announce this.

Ocelot II

(130,540 posts)
8. That's the first thing I thought when I read his post whining about Cuellar's lack of gratitude -
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:44 AM
Dec 2025

Will he try to rescind the pardon for the failure of the expected quid pro quo? Bush the Younger did revoke a pardon, and the revocation was considered effective because the pardon hadn't been delivered, that is, made final:

On December 23, 2008, President Bush granted a pardon to Toussie, angering people who felt Toussie had defrauded them. However, the pardon was withdrawn the next day, following a report by the New York Daily News that Toussie's father, Robert Toussie, had given $28,500 to the Republican Party and $2,300 to the presidential campaign of U.S. Senator John McCain. White House press secretary Dana Perino stated that the pardon would be reviewed, in light of the new information. A White House press release read, in part:

Based on information that has subsequently come to light, the President has directed the Pardon Attorney not to execute and deliver a Grant of Clemency to Mr. Toussie. The Pardon Attorney has not provided a recommendation on Mr. Toussie's case because it was filed less than five years from completion of his sentence. The President believes that the Pardon Attorney should have an opportunity to review this case before a decision on clemency is made.

The action by Mr. Bush to revoke the pardon is considered unprecedented, and it is unclear that the president has the power to withdraw a pardon. However, the Justice Department has stated that the pardon was never official, having never been delivered to the person who requested it, and that Toussie would have no legal ground on which to challenge the withdrawal. It appears that the pardon would have made it possible for Toussie to re-enter the real estate business in New York state, which he would not be able to do as a felon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Toussie

So, what was the status of Cuellar's pardon? Trump is infamous for not submitting his pardons to the Pardon Attorney. Was this one executed and delivered?

rampartd

(4,634 posts)
10. he just wants to see if he can use th autipen business to rescind a pardon
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 12:03 PM
Dec 2025

i predict the supremes will allow this stupid business on the flimsiest of "originalist" pretenses.

next step : rescind all pardons from biden, and maybe obama and clinton as well. "autopen, ya no."

WhiskeyGrinder

(26,958 posts)
17. hi can you walk me through what the difference of what satire and misinformation masquerading as satire looks like
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 12:37 PM
Dec 2025

Disaffected

(6,408 posts)
32. OK, explain that to me.
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 02:25 PM
Dec 2025

All I see in that image is a Fox news desk with two talking heads.

niyad

(132,451 posts)
33. In all the time you have been here, you have never seen this image?
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 02:31 PM
Dec 2025

It is from 'toon news, a satire site that is frequently posted here on DU.

 

gfarber

(278 posts)
15. The Revoked Pardon
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 12:35 PM
Dec 2025


There once was a Prez with a thrill,
Who signed pardons with gusto and will.
But when thanks felt too thin,
He revoked what he'd been—
Declaring, “Return him to prison—until!”

A Texan named Cuellar one day
Found his pardon had faded away.
“For the signature’s fake—
An Autopen’s mistake!
A true pen or quill's the right way.”

Said the President, proud and verbose,
“Quills are best! Let me make this real close:
Our Founders agreed
That a feather’s what you need—
Not a pen that a robot can pose.”

He mused, “I may have pardoned him deep
In a moment I drifted to sleep.
But a nap-made decree
Has no power from me—
Dream-pardons are simply too cheap.”

He waved a notebook he’d compiled,
With tape labels crooked and wild.
“These rules are legit—
They’re all written in it!
(Though the legal world might be beguiled.)”

Poor Cuellar just sighed at his lot,
His bags packed for some nameless spot.
“Though my freedom has flown,
At least now I’ve known
That indictments impress him—a lot.”

Kid Berwyn

(24,404 posts)
16. Put Cuellar on "Running Man"
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 12:37 PM
Dec 2025

Boffo ratings, for sure. Might even get through a few thick MAGA skulls.

yardwork

(69,364 posts)
21. Ok, you had me going for a minute!
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 01:00 PM
Dec 2025

This sounds so much like Trump:

Everyone knows that for a document to be fully legal, it has to be signed with your own hand and with an actual pen or thick sharpie marker. Or a quill, which many of our founding fathers used. Quills. They don’t teach that to our children in schools anymore, that our founding fathers used to write with quills. Not pens, but quills. Which people don’t realize are actually just big feathers. I guess quills aren’t just woke or politically correct enough these days. But that’s going to change now, believe me. We’re all going to be using quills again soon.”

Tommy Carcetti

(44,499 posts)
38. He'll always fixate on some ridiculous tangent.
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 08:29 PM
Dec 2025

One of his most frequent tangents is windmills—he seems to really hate windmills.

Another one is the concept of asylum…Someone once talked about immigrants applying for asylum and his brain screwed it up and thought they were talking about mental asylums and that’s why he’ll insist a bunch of immigrants are coming from foreign mental asylums to the US.

These weird little quirks are how you “capture” Trump in all his Trumpishness.

Response to Tommy Carcetti (Original post)

niyad

(132,451 posts)
25. I had to check the link, or, in this case, the pic. I have to say, I am amused
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 01:59 PM
Dec 2025

by some of the responses to the OP, because it isn't clearly marked SATIRE. Should we require a della comedia icon? Anybody who has been here on DU for any length of time has surely seen that image at the bottom of the OP, the well-known logo of a satire site.

Are we not to be allowed a moment of not-utterly-horrified?

Justice

(7,261 posts)
34. That is very old photo - woman is anchor on different station
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 03:24 PM
Dec 2025

And has been for several years.

Tommy Carcetti

(44,499 posts)
40. I'm curious as to who they are.
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 10:21 PM
Dec 2025

They were the first stock image I happened upon years ago in my Google search for local newscasters (you know, the guys who always tease “Details at eleven!”) and I’ve just stuck with them ever since…

Jack Valentino

(5,029 posts)
44. UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Sorry, Diaper Sleepy Don....
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 11:07 PM
Dec 2025

Nothing in the U.S. Constitution allows you to reverse a pardon which you have already bestowed.

(Yes, I realize you don't care what the Constitution says,
and want to make up the rules as your diaper brain wants as you go along, but the rest of us
are still attempting to live under it, including a significant number of judges...)


More 'Truth Social' diaper leakage.... pffffft





eppur_se_muova

(41,948 posts)
45. They've REALLY got Trmp's style down. He gives the guy a different name every time, and rambles WAY off topic !
Tue Dec 9, 2025, 12:39 AM
Dec 2025

"Quills, they're coming back."

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