Trump Commutes Sentence of George Santos, Sparking Controversy

Sat Oct 18 2025 22:14:24 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Former Congressman George Santos, convicted of multiple felonies, receives a commutation from President Trump, leading to debates over justice and political favoritism.

President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of George Santos, a former Republican congressman convicted of fraud and identity theft, ordering his immediate release from prison. Santos, who served just over a year of a seven-year sentence, had faced allegations of lying about his qualifications and misusing campaign funds. Trump justified the commutation by criticizing a Democratic senator, suggesting partisan bias in the justice system. Santos's fall from grace began with investigative reports revealing numerous fabrications about his background, ultimately leading to his expulsion from Congress in 2023. The decision to free Santos has ignited debates over fairness and the implications of political connections in the judicial process.

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, after 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, saying: I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.

Prosecutors argued that the novice politician had lied about his background and misused campaign funds to finance his lifestyle.

In his post, Trump justified the move by criticising Democratic lawmaker Senator Richard Blumenthal, accusing him of fabricating his US military service.

Trump wrote, This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!

Trump has previously called for an investigation into Blumenthal over the claim. Blumenthal has acknowledged that he misspoke about his military history, but has defended his record with voters.

A lawyer for Santos confirmed that his release date remains uncertain, adding that the defence team applauded Trump for the commutation.

Santos's downfall began after a New York Times investigation published in 2022 unveiled numerous lies about his qualifications, which eventually led to him being charged with 23 federal felony crimes and expelled from Congress.

Trump's decision to commute Santos's sentence has reignited discussions on the intersection of politics and justice, highlighting how partisan connections can influence legal outcomes.