Trump Defends Pardoning Former Honduran President Convicted Of Drug Trafficking: 'The People of Honduras Really Thought He Was Set Up'

Donald Trump defended pardoning former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, sentenced to 45 years in prison for drug trafficking last year in the U.S.

Speaking to press aboard the Air Force One, Trump was asked why he would "pardon a notorious drug trafficker."

🇺🇸🇭🇳 TRUMP: "BIDEN’S PEOPLE USED BOGUS DRUG CHARGES TO REMOVE HONDURAN PRESIDENT HERNÁNDEZ"Trump brushed off questions about possibly pardoning a convicted drug trafficker, claiming the charges were politically motivated.Trump said he was approached by “many people from… pic.twitter.com/ozuTdMjxlg

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 30, 2025

"The people of Honduras really thought he was set up. He was the president of the country and they basically said he was a drug dealer because he was the president of the country. They said it was a Biden administration setup and I looked at the facts and I agreed with them," Trump claimed.

Asked about the facts he was referring to, he said: "You take any country you want. If someone sells drug in that country that doesn't mean you arrest the president and put him in jail for the rest of his life," he added.

Trump has been heavily criticized for the move. One of those who took aim at him was Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego. "So we are illegally killing drug runners in the Caribbean on boats that will never make it to the US and pardoning cartel kingpins that a US jury has convicted for drug running? Anyone else see how this doesn't make sense?" Gallego said in a social media publication, a reference to accusations against the administration of conducting extra-judicial killings with its strikes of alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Hernandez was convicted in June 2024 York federal court after being found guilty of drug and gun trafficking charges. He was also required to pay a $8 million fine.

Hernández had already been found guilty by a jury in March. His lawyers had requested the minimum sentence for these kinds of crimes, 40 years, while prosecutors in the case requested the maximum one, life in prison.

Judge Kevin Castel described Hernández as a "two-faced, power hungry politician" who protected a group of drug traffickers for financial and political benefit. Hernández has always rejected the claims and, in a letter sent to the judge, he reiterated that the trial "is full of errors and injustices."

"The prosecutors and agents did not do the proper due diligence with the investigation to know the whole truth," read a passage of the letter sent to judge Castel, who also sentenced Hernández's brother to life, Juan Antonio, back in 2021, also on drug trafficking charges.

Prosecutors, however, were successful in proving that Hernández conspired with drug cartels during his tenure as president. They said he was instrumental in moving more than 400 tons of cocaine through Honduras toward the United States in exchange of millions of dollars in bribes that Hernández used to fund his political career.

• Trump Says He 'Wouldn't Have Wanted a Second Strike' Against Alleged Drug Vessel After Reported Order From Pete Hegseth
• Ruben Gallego Slams Trump For Announcing Pardon Of Former Honduran President Convicted Of Drug Trafficking: 'This Doesn't Make Sense?'

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