Trump's Absurd Reasoning for Pardoning Drug Trafficking President

Former U.S. President Donald Trump defended his decision to grant a pardon to Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, who had previously boasted about smuggling drugs into the United States. Trump, 79, confirmed on Friday that he would issue a full and complete pardon to Hernandez, 57, who was sentenced last year to 45 years in prison for drug trafficking and weapons charges.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said, I was asked by many people in Hondurasthey told me it was a Biden setup. He was the president, and they claimed he was a drug dealer because of his position.

Hernandez served two presidential terms in Honduras. According to the U.S. Justice Department under President Joe Biden, Hernandez abused his authority to support one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking operations in the world, facilitating the movement of up to 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S. while publicly promoting anti-drug policies.

The legal case against Hernandez began during Trumps first term and continued under Biden. Hernandez was extradited to the United States in 2022 and later convicted in a New York federal court for accepting bribes from drug traffickers, enabling the distribution of more than 4.5 billion doses of cocaine. Witness testimony from 2021 cited Hernandez saying, We are going to stuff the drugs up the gringos noses, and theyre never even going to know it.

Trump insisted that the people of Honduras really believed he was set up, and it was a terrible thing. They said it was a Biden administration setup. I reviewed the facts and agreed. When asked for evidence supporting this claim, Trump responded, If someone sells drugs in any country, it doesnt automatically justify arresting the president for life. That applies here too.

The pardon comes amid Trumps administration increasing efforts to intercept drug trafficking via Caribbean routes. Separately, questions have been raised regarding military strikes ordered by Pete Hegseths team, which reportedly led to multiple casualties. Trump stated he was unaware of the details and emphasized that he would not have authorized such actions himself.

Author: Sophia Brooks