Trump pardons ex-Honduran president sentenced for drug trafficking

Trump has granted a «full and complete pardon» to former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who is currently in a US prison for drug-trafficking and weapons offences, according to his attorney Renato Stabile, as reported by CNN.

I will be granting a Full and Complete Pardon to Former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who has been, according to many people that I greatly respect, treated very harshly and unfairly,

Hernández is serving a 45-year sentence after being convicted in March 2024 for accepting millions of dollars in bribes to protect US-bound cocaine shipments belonging to traffickers he once publicly proclaimed to combat. Hernández was sentenced in June.

Pardoning a narco-king

The pardon comes after Donald Trump has publicly cracked down on drug-smugglers from Venezuela.

Over the last month, Donald Trump has threatened airstrikes on Venezuela and deported thousands of people to El Salvador under the guise of a war against ‘drug-smuggling'.

So if Trump is so focused on stopping drug trafficking, why is he pardoning one of the most notorious political drug traffickers of the 21^st century?

Supporting political entities

Honduras presidential candidate of the National Party Nasry Asfura raises his clenched fist as he arrives to cast his vote in Tegucigalpa on November 30, 2025. Hondurans voted for president on Sunday amid threats by US President Donald Trump to cut aid to the country if his preferred candidate loses. (Photo by Lucas AGUAYO / AFP via Getty Images)

Trump's pardoning of Hernàndez is part of a larger mission to endorse political candidate Tito Asfura, a right-wing presidential candidate.

Honduras has been run by Xiomara Castro since 2021, a leader who has created close ties with Venezuela and Cuba, two countries that Trump has criticized and called ‘dictatorships'.

Recently, Castro has been leaning towards a left-wing stance, something Trump wants no part of.

In comes Asfura, a candidate virtually tied in the polls against the left-wing and centrist parties. Hondurans went to the polls on November 30 in a presidential election whose outcome remains uncertain after a slow and unstable virtual vote count was suspended.

Whoever wins will govern Honduras from 2026 to 2030, but experts are wary that multiple candidates will claim victory on election night.

Multiple organizations have raised concerns about Honduras's electoral process. The election will be monitored carefully by the Organization of American States and by Washington.

Trump's post

Trump's rambling post on Truth Social had a couple of gems, including what may just be a new term: narcocommunists

Tito and I can work together to fight the Narcocommunists and bring needed aid to the people of Honduras.

He made it clear in his post that he believes his candidate, Asfura, has the popular vote, but that corruption can always happen (2020 election, anyone?).

Normally, the smart people of Honduras would reject her, and elect Tito Asfura, but the Communists are trying to trick the people by running a third Candidate, Salvador Nasralla. Nasralla is no friend of Freedom.

Hernàndez's attorney commented after Trump's announcement.

We are so grateful to President Trump and everyone who supported President Hernandez. We believe he was the victim of lawfare and a political prosecution. A great injustice has been righted and we are so hopeful for the future partnership of the United States and Honduras.

-Attorney Renato Stabile

It is not clear when Hernandez will return to his country, but it should happen expeditiously.