President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has commuted the prison sentence of George Santos, the disgraced former New York Republican congressman who was serving more than seven years in prison for fraud and identity theft.
Trump said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he had signed an order commuting Santos’ sentence, allowing his immediate release.
“George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison,” Trump wrote.
Joseph Murray, one of Santos’ attorneys, confirmed to The Associated Press that the former lawmaker was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey, around 11 p.m. Friday and reunited with his family.
Santos’ Conviction and Political Downfall
Santos, an outspoken supporter of Trump, pleaded guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Federal prosecutors said he orchestrated a “mountain of lies, theft, and fraud” to enrich himself and deceive campaign donors. He began serving his sentence in July 2025.
Santos’ rise and fall were among the most stunning in recent congressional history. After his election to Congress in 2020, reports surfaced that he had fabricated much of his biography, including his education, employment history, and family background.
Despite widespread criticism, Santos was sworn into office in 2022. Less than a year later, the House voted 311-114 to expel him after a damning ethics report detailed his misconduct. Nearly every Democrat and more than 100 Republicans voted for his removal, making him only the sixth member of Congress ever expelled, and the first expelled without a criminal conviction at the time.
Trump Defends Santos, Compares to Democrats
In defending his decision, Trump compared Santos’ actions to past false statements made by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., about his military service.
“This is far worse than what George Santos did,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “and at least Santos had the courage, conviction, and intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”
Blumenthal, who served six years in the Marine Reserve beginning in 1970, has acknowledged “misspeaking” about serving in Vietnam but has never been accused of fraud.
Pattern of High-Profile Pardons
Santos’ commutation adds to Trump’s growing list of controversial clemency actions during his second term. The president has issued hundreds of pardons and commutations, including a blanket pardon for more than 1,500 people charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump also previously commuted the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who had been convicted of corruption charges for trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by then-President Barack Obama.
What’s Next for George Santos
It remains unclear whether Santos will attempt to return to public life following his release. His expulsion, federal conviction, and ongoing investigations have left him politically isolated.
Santos has not yet commented publicly on the commutation.
