As disgraced former Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey was sentenced to 11 years in prison for bribery on Wednesday, his comments outside the courtroom have sparked suspicions that he may be vying for a pardon from President Donald Trump.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Trump’s inauguration was held last week and upon completion, the president issued sweeping pardons for 1,500 defendants in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In comments to the press following his sentencing, Menendez said, in part, “President Trump is right. This process is political, and it’s corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores integrity to the system.”

Menendez also called the Southern District of New York the “Wild West of political prosecutions.” The district was also the setting of Trump’s legal issues and trials.

As Menendez concluded his comments outside the courthouse, he was barraged with shouted questions asking if he was seeking a pardon.

What To Know

Menendez was accused of accepting bribes at the benefit of foreign nations including Egypt and Qatar during his time in the Senate as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. In court, Judge Sidney Stein condemned Menendez, saying: “Somewhere along the way, and I don’t know when it was, you lost your way and working for the public good became working for your good.”

What People Are Saying

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said on X, formerly Twitter: “Why is it stunning? If you’ve been convicted of public corruption or felony violence and want to be exempt from the laws of this nation, you appeal to the friend of corruption and mercenary violence – Donald Trump.”

Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of Meidas Touch and staunch Trump critic, said on X: “He should switch parties. He obviously wants a pardon, and given his proclivities towards fraud he would feel much more at home in the other party.”

Eric Daugherty, assistant news director of conservative-leaning publication Florida’s Voice, said on X: “JUST IN: Fmr Sen. Bob Menendez (D) has reversal and becomes a Trump supporter now that he’s facing 11 years in prison. ‘Trump was right. This process is political, it’s corrupted to the core. I hope Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores integrity.'”

Andy Ngo, conservative journalist, said on X: “Former N.J. Senator Bob Menendez, a hyper-partisan Democrat, appears to try to get a pardon from President Trump after he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for bribery and other federal crimes.”

Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek via text message: “If Menendez were to seek a pardon from President Trump, it would be an unusual and politically risky move for both men. For Trump, granting a pardon would likely be a net negative in terms of political capital. While he has issued controversial pardons before, Menendez is a longtime Democratic senator facing serious corruption charges, and stepping in to help him would do little to energize Trump’s base.

“In fact, it could backfire! Trump has framed himself as tough on corruption, and his supporters have often viewed the justice system as unfairly targeting conservatives, not Democrats like Menendez. A pardon could be seen as undermining that message, especially when Trump himself is facing multiple legal battles. The only possible advantage for Trump would be using it as a way to highlight what he sees as selective prosecution or to reinforce claims about a biased justice system. But overall, the risks likely outweigh the rewards, making it an unlikely move unless there were clear strategic benefits for the President.”

What Happens Next

It was immediately unclear if Trump would consider a pardon for Menendez as his first 100 days in the Oval Office unfold.