President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of former U.S. Rep. George Santos, leading to his release from federal prison after serving approximately 84 days for fraud and identity theft, despite an original sentence of over seven years.
Former President Donald Trump announced he commuted the sentence of ex-U.S. Rep. George Santos, who was released from federal prison in Fairton, New Jersey, after serving just over two months of a seven-year sentence for fraud and identity theft. Santos had pleaded guilty to deceiving donors and stealing identities for campaign contributions. Trump justified the clemency by calling Santos a 'rogue' and stating that many others commit similar acts without such severe punishment, also praising Santos's consistent Republican voting record. Santos had appealed directly to Trump from prison, citing his loyalty to the president's agenda. This commutation is Trump's latest act of clemency for former Republican politicians and appears to clear Santos of further fines, restitution, and other conditions. The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with some Republicans supporting it as an act of justice, while others criticized it, arguing Santos's crimes warranted a longer sentence. Santos was expelled from Congress in 2023 after revelations he fabricated much of his life story.
