Former President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of ex-Representative George Santos, releasing him just months into an 87-month term for wire fraud and identity theft. Santos, who had been serving time at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey, was released Friday evening and “on his way home,” according to his attorney Joseph Murray.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump acknowledged Santos as “somewhat of a rogue” but said he believed the former New York congressman deserved clemency.
“I just signed a commutation, releasing George Santos from prison immediately,” Trump wrote. “Good luck, George — have a great life!”
Shortly after, the U.S. pardon attorney shared a photo of the signed order and said he was “honored” to play a role in the decision. Murray also posted from Santos’s X account, calling Trump “the greatest president in U.S. history.”
Push from Trump Allies
The move follows weeks of pressure from key Republican allies, most notably Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She had called Santos’ conviction a “grave injustice” and criticized his placement in solitary confinement. In August, Greene formally urged the Justice Department to consider a commutation.
Trump, when previously asked about clemency for Santos, said he hadn’t made a decision but praised Santos’ loyalty: “He lied like hell … but he was 100% for Trump.”
Greene thanked Trump on Friday, calling Santos’ treatment “torture.”
Santos’ Plea and Political Fall
Santos pleaded guilty last year to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud tied to campaign finance abuses. He was expelled from Congress in 2023 after the House Ethics Committee reported that he used donor money on luxury items, travel and cosmetic treatments.
Santos had reportedly written to Trump from solitary confinement, describing harsh conditions and asking for “a chance to rebuild.” Trump referenced the letter in his post.
Before entering Congress in 2023, Santos built his political career on false claims about his background, education, finances and family history. His rapid rise — and the unraveling that followed — made him a media fixture.
In a pinned social media post before his sentencing, Santos wrote:
“Well, darlings … The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed … Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried … most days.”
Federal prosecutors argued Santos showed little remorse, and the judge agreed a tougher sentence was warranted.
Trump’s Expanding Use of Clemency
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has stepped up the use of presidential clemency for political allies. In May, he pardoned former GOP Rep. Michael Grimm of New York and ex-Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, both convicted in earlier corruption cases.
Trump has simultaneously directed his Justice Department to bring charges against political adversaries, including former national security adviser John Bolton, who was indicted this week and pleaded not guilty.
Trump himself remains under legal scrutiny. In 2024, he became the first former president convicted of felony charges in a New York case tied to hush money payments, a prosecution he continues to label a political attack.
Taking Aim at Democrats
In announcing Santos’ commutation, Trump also attacked Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, for past misstatements about his Vietnam-era military service. Blumenthal served stateside as a Marine Corps reservist but once implied he had been “in” Vietnam, a claim he later corrected.
“This is far worse than what George Santos did,” Trump wrote, adding that Santos had the “courage and intelligence to always vote Republican.”
Santos’ release only deepens the divide over Trump’s handling of criminal justice — celebrated by his allies as loyalty rewarded and criticized by opponents as a pattern of shielding political insiders.