US President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of George Santos, a former Republican congressman serving seven years in prison for fraud and identity theft, ordering his immediate release.
In a post on social media, Trump stated that Santos has been horribly mistreated, adding: Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!.
The former lawmaker was only the sixth in US history to be expelled from Congress, following a damning ethics report in 2023.
Santos was serving his sentence at a minimum-security jail in New Jersey after admitting to stealing the identities of 11 people, including family members.
During his sentencing in April, a judge told Santos, You got elected with your words, most of which were lies. He reportedly cried in court and pleaded for forgiveness, expressing the desire to control his future.
Prosecutors accused him of lying about his background and misusing campaign funds for personal expenses. In Trump's post, he defended Santos while condemning Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal for alleged fabrications of his military service history, claiming Santos's actions were comparably less severe.
A representative for Santos mentioned it remains unclear when he would be released, but they applauded Trump’s decision as just.
Santos's downfall began after a New York Times investigation revealed he had lied about his professional history, leading to various other allegations, including misuse of campaign donations. Ultimately charged with 23 federal felonies, Santos was expelled from Congress in 2023 for unethical conduct.
Earlier this week, Santos released an open letter to Trump asking for a pardon, detailing his struggles within the prison system and expressing remorse over his actions.
This latest action adds to Trump's history of pardoning or commuting sentences for other Republican lawmakers in trouble with the law.
