By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
(from left) U.S. President Donald Trump; Former U.S. Rep. George Santos
Trump has commuted George Santos' sentence, saving the disgraced gay Republican from more than seven years in prison.
It's not personal — it's just partisan.
Donald Trump commuted the sentence of former U.S. Rep. George Santos on Friday, saving the disgraced gay Republican from more than seven years in prison and over half a million dollars in fines. The order came after Santos and his few remaining allies campaigned the president for his release, supposedly in the name of redemption.
"I believe that 7 years is an over the top politically influenced sentence and I implore that President Trump gives me a chance to prove I’m more than the mistakes I’ve made," Santos said after his sentencing in April.
Santos' wish has been granted, but it remains to be seen if he's learned his lesson. While conservatives deny that Trump's order showed favoritism to his party, the president has explicitly stated it does. Here's what you need to know about the case.
Santos pleaded guilty in 2024 to 23 felony counts, which included fraudulent Federal Elections Commission filings, identity theft, and unemployment insurance fraud. He admitted to stealing donors' identities and charging their credit cards without authorization, using the money for personal purchases such as designer clothing, Botox, and Onlyfans subscriptions.
After he was criminally charged, Santos became the sixth member to ever be expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives on December 1, 2023, halfway through his first term representing New York’s Third Congressional District. His expulsion followed a detailed investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which uncovered extensive evidence of misconduct.
A federal judge sentenced Santos to 87 months in prison and ordered him to repay more than $370,000 in restitution and forfeit more than $205,000. He began serving his sentence in July at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey.
Unlike a pardon, a commutation does not expunge his criminal record, but releases Santos from prison and clears him of paying any further fines or restitution.
Trump directly cited Santos' political alignment in a Truth Social post justifying commuting his sentence, writing, "At least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!"
Trump also said that Santos had been “horribly mistreated” and held in solitary confinement for long periods of time. He compared Santos’ crimes to Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s past misrepresentations of his military service, claiming "this is far worse than what George Santos did."
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was a prominent voice calling for Santos' sentence to be commuted, formally asking Trump in August. She claimed in a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney that his punishment “extends far beyond what is warranted.”
“While his crimes warrant punishment,” Greene wrote, “many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges.” She did not provide evidence supporting her claim.
“Commuting his sentence would acknowledge the severity of his actions and simultaneously provide a path forward in allowing him to make amends," she added.
Greene celebrated Santos' commutation in a post on X thanking Ed Martin, a pardon attorney appointed to the position by Trump after he couldn't be confirmed by the Senate for a U.S. attorney post. She said that she "sent Ed Martin a letter on George’s behalf and he got the job done!!" Martin replied, "George had no greater friend than @RepMTG."
When asked about Trump commuting Santos' sentence, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson denied that it had anything to do with his party affiliation — though he later said that he considers Santos a viable candidate for the future.
"That's not the reason," Johnson said in an appearance on ABC. "That's one snippet of what he said among many things about George Santos."
When asked in a separate interview with Fox News if Santos would be welcome in the Republican Party, Johnson responded, “Well, of course."
“I mean, that’s our system. If the people duly elect a representative, then we will welcome them into the body. That would be the job of a speaker," Johnson said, while simultaneously refusing to swear in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona, who would provide the final vote needed to force the release of the Epstein files.
"If someone’s turned their life around and they want to do the right thing, then we should be open to that," he added.
Charlie Kirk DID say stoning gay people was the 'perfect law' — and these other heinous quotes