Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández has been released from prison following a controversial pardon issued by Donald Trump. Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 45 years, has sparked bipartisan outcry regarding the implications of this decision. Critics argue that pardoning a convicted drug trafficker undermines US efforts in combating drug trafficking while raising questions about the motivations behind the timing of the pardon, especially with regard to upcoming elections in Honduras. The White House defended the move, asserting that Hernández was treated unfairly. In response, several Republican senators have expressed concerns about the optics of the pardon, while Democratic leaders condemned it as a politically reckless action.