Trump commutes prison sentence of ex-GOP Rep. George Santos
George Santos, expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives, arrives for sentencing on corruption charges at the Central Islip Federal Courthouse on April 25, 2025 in Central Islip, New York, USA.
Shannon Stapleton | Reuters
President Donald Trump said Friday evening that he was commuting George Santos’ prison sentence and immediately releasing the disgraced former Republican congressman.
“Santos was something of a ‘thug,’ but there are plenty of thugs in our country who don’t get seven years in prison,” Trump wrote. Real Social post.
Santos was sentenced this year to 87 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He began serving his sentence in late July.
The 37-year-old New York representative had served in the House of Representatives for less than a year before being expelled from Congress under a cloud of scandal in December 2023.
Even before he was sworn in, Santos admitted to lying about important details of his life during the campaign. While in Congress, he was indicted by the Justice Department on a number of federal crimes, including fraud, theft, money laundering and perjury.
Trump’s decision to commute Santos’ sentence came after many of the detained former politician’s friends and allies called for his pardon, a senior White House official told NBC News Friday evening.
Trump also recently read Santos’ remarks Written from prisonThe official described the living conditions to NBC.
One letter full of flattery In a report published Monday in local Long Island news outlet The South Shore Press, Santos directly appealed to Trump for clemency.
“You have always been a man with a second chance, a leader who believed in redemption and renewal,” Santos wrote. “Now I ask you from the bottom of my heart to extend the same faith to me.”
In a social media post Friday, Trump said he began thinking about Santos after being reminded by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who came under heavy criticism for saying he “served in Vietnam” during the 2010 Senate campaign. never deployed there.
Trump said in early October that Blumenthal “must be investigated and justice must be sought.” The attack came hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi’s combative and politically charged Senate hearing. He accused Blumenthal of lying about his military background.
blumenthal he said in 2010 He said he misspoke about his service many times. Last week on CNN The senator said Trump’s accusations were “completely deceptive and distorted.”
Trump did not serve in the military.
Trump wrote in an op-ed Friday that Blumenthal’s record “is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos has the Courage, Conviction and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN.”
“George has been in solitary confinement for too long and has been horribly mistreated in every way,” Trump wrote.
“That’s why I signed a Sentencing Amendment IMMEDIATELY releasing George Santos from prison. Good luck George, have a wonderful life!”
This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.
