Trump commutes George Santos' prison sentence, calls him a rogue with courage

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he had commuted the prison sentence of ex-Rep. George Santos, declaring the disgraced congressman’s immediate release in a fiery social media post that mixed grievance, humor, and political loyalty.

“I just signed a commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, calling the former New York lawmaker “a rogue” but one with “the courage, conviction, and intelligence to always vote Republican.”

Trump justified his decision by drawing a sweeping—and typically Trumpian, comparison to Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, whom he accused of lying about serving in Vietnam. “He was a COMPLETE AND TOTAL FRAUD,” Trump wrote, adding that what Blumenthal did was “far worse than what George Santos did.”

“Good luck George, have a great life!” Trump concluded in his post.

SANTOS SOUGHT TRUMP'S HELP RIGHT AFTER SENTENCING

Former US Rep. Santos appealed to the administration within hours of receiving his sentence, insisting in social media posts and interviews that it was overly harsh and politically motivated.

Santos appealed to the Trump administration, arguing the punishment was politically motivated. US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also urged the White House to intervene, calling his treatment “a grave injustice” and “judicial overreach.”

WHO IS GEORGE SANTOS?

Once hailed as a rising GOP star, George Santos made history in 2022 as the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress, flipping a coveted New York seat covering parts of Queens and Long Island.

But his meteoric rise crashed in less than a year after reports revealed that much of his resume, and even his backstory, was pure fiction. What began as resume padding spiralled into a criminal probe over how the little-known newcomer financed his surprise win.

The son of Brazilian immigrants, Santos painted himself as a Wall Street-savvy business consultant with a hefty real estate portfolio. In reality, he hadn’t graduated from Baruch College, never played for its volleyball team, and never held jobs at Citigroup or Goldman Sachs — all claims he’d once boasted about.

Even his cultural identity became a punchline. After claiming Jewish heritage, Santos later clarified he was merely “Jew-ish,” explaining that his mother’s family had Jewish roots — despite his Catholic upbringing.

By 2023, Santos was indicted on charges of stealing from donors, pocketing campaign funds, fraudulently claiming unemployment benefits, and lying to Congress about his finances.

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