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 said 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, who admitted to stealing the identities of 11 people— including family members, is currently serving his sentence at a minimum-security jail in New Jersey.
In April when Santos was sentenced, a judge told him: You got elected with your words, most of which were lies.
He reportedly cried in court and begged for forgiveness, stating: I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.
Prosecutors argued that the novice politician lied about his background and misused campaign funds to finance his lifestyle.
In his post, Trump defended the move by criticizing Democratic lawmaker Senator Richard Blumenthal, whom he accused of fabricating his US military service.
Trump also highlighted that Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!
A lawyer for Santos stated that while Trump’s decision was applauded, it remains unclear when he would be released from prison.
Santos' troubles began with a 2022 New York Times investigation that uncovered numerous lies about his CV. He faced charges of 23 federal felony counts and was expelled from Congress in early 2023.
Santos recently published an open letter to Trump, urging the president for clemency and expressing a desire to return to his community. He wrote: I know I have made mistakes in my past. I have faced my share of consequences, and I take full responsibility for my actions.
This commutation adds to Trump's history of pardoning and commutations, which includes several former Republican lawmakers.
