South Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar gushes about attending Trump inauguration

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat whose South Texas district includes part of San Antonio, was all smiles at Monday’s inauguration of President Trump.

The next day, Cuellar tweeted calling it a “privilege” to be invited to the ceremony and wishing the incoming administration “nothing but the best.”

He shared a grinning selfie of himself with U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (peach tie), New Jersey Democratic U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (far left), California Democratic U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (far right) and others. 

Cuellar, one of the House’s most right-leaning Democrats, has cozied up to Republicans throughout his career. He is, for example, the sole anti-abortion House Dem, and has said the issue should be left up to the states.

However, in recent weeks, Cuellar appears to have further ramped up his alliances with those on the right. He cast votes greenlighting Trump’s nonprofit killer bill and the GOP-led mass deportation proposal known as the Laken Riley Act, which passed Congress Wednesday afternoon as the first legislative victory under Trump.

Cuellar also faces a corruption trial this spring for charges of bribery, money laundering and working illegally on behalf of the Azerbaijani government. He’s denied those allegations and this summer set up a legal fund to cover his court expenses. 

Despite the FBI raid, court case and accusations of being a DINO (“Democrat In Name Only”), Cuellar continues to get re-elected. This fall he won his 11th term in the House.

Other notable figures in the audience at Trump’s inauguration included Wayne Gretsky, social media celebs Logan and Jake Paul, podcaster Joe Rogan, UFC President Dana White, UFC boxer Conor McGregor, Hillary and Bill Clinton, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, singer Carrie Underwood, podcaster Theo Von, right-wing talking head Tucker Carlson and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, according to a report in The Independent.

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This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.