Trump Commutes Sentence of Ex-Rep. George Santos
WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of george Santos, the former Republican congressman expelled from the House of Representatives following accusations of fraud and theft.Trump announced the decision Friday in a post on Truth Social, ordering Santos’s immediate release from prison.
Santos had been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for a series of crimes after being expelled from the House over allegations he stole money from campaign donors. He pleaded guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, with prosecutors stating he orchestrated a “mountain of lies, theft, and fraud” to enrich himself and deceive donors. Santos began serving his sentence in July at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey.
Elected in 2020, Santos soon faced scrutiny over fabricated details of his biography, including his education, employment history, and upbringing. Despite these inconsistencies, he was sworn into Congress in 2022.
In 2023, the House voted 311-114 to remove Santos from office, making him the sixth representative ever expelled from the chamber and the first to be expelled without a criminal conviction. At the time of his expulsion, he was facing 23 criminal charges.
Trump, in his statement, drew a comparison between Santos’s actions and past claims made by Sen. Richard Blumenthal,D-Conn.,regarding his military service over 15 years ago,noting Blumenthal had admitted to “misspoke” about serving in Vietnam. Trump also highlighted Santos’s consistent Republican voting record,stating he had the “Courage,Conviction,and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”
This action is part of a pattern during Trump’s second term,which has included a blanket pardon of more than 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the January 6,2021,attack on the U.S.capitol, and a pardon for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted on corruption charges, including attempting to sell a U.S. Senate seat. Trump commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence during his first term.
