Trump says he could pardon George Santos, but no one’s asked

President Donald Trump said Friday that he has the power to pardon disgraced former New York Republican U.S. Rep. George Santos, but emphasized that no one has requested it.

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“He lied like hell, and I didn’t know him,” Trump told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty during an interview at the White House. “But he was 100 percent for Trump. I might’ve met him. Maybe, maybe not, but he was a congressman and his vote was solid.”

Santos, 37, surrendered to federal custody on July 25 to begin serving an 87-month sentence at FCI Fairton in New Jersey. Once considered a rising star among MAGA-aligned Republicans, he pleaded guilty in 2024 to 23 felony counts, including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and agreed to pay more than $370,000 in restitution. Prosecutors said he used campaign funds to finance personal purchases like Botox, luxury goods, and adult content while also collecting pandemic unemployment benefits.

Related: George Santos begs Trump for pardon after judge handed down 7-year sentence

In the Newsmax interview, Trump seemed to question the severity of Santos’s sentence. “It sounds like a lot,” he said. “Is it seven years he just went away? It’s a long time.”

Trump went on to say that while he hadn’t been approached about pardoning Santos, the door remained open. “Nobody’s talked to me about it,” he said. “They really haven’t talked to me about [Santos]. They have talked to me about Sean [Combs], but they haven’t talked to me about [George]. But again, with him, I have the right to do it. Nobody’s asked me, but it’s interesting.”

Trump also pointed fingers at the media and political opponents for not exposing Santos sooner. “You could blame the other side for not checking him out,” he said. “He didn’t do all those things… Well, you could say the media missed it. Everybody missed it. They found out about this stuff after the election was won.”

Related: George Santos has to report to prison tomorrow — he’s not taking it well

Santos’s conviction came after years of mounting scandal. Just hours after his sentencing in April, he posted a plea on social media: “I implore that President Trump gives me a chance to prove I’m more than the mistakes I’ve made.” The next day, he promoted his Cameo account as a “lifeline” to meet “judicial obligations.”

After being expelled from Congress in 2023 following a scathing House Ethics Committee report, Santos has continued to portray himself as a wronged figure. Trump did not endorse that view, but left open the possibility of intervention.

“I have the right to do it,” Trump said. “Nobody’s asked me.”