Politics

Trump’s Unexpected Move: What Led to George Santos’s Sudden Release?

Trump commuted George Santos’s sentence for fraud, leading to his immediate release from prison.

October 17, 2025, 9:37 PM

U.S. Representative George Santos speaks to a crowd of reporters outdoors, looking concerned, while being surrounded by blurry bystanders.

U.S. Rep. George Santos addresses the press outside the Capitol on November 30, 2023, regarding his potential expulsion. By Philip Yabut / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

President Donald Trump commuted the seven-year prison sentence of former Rep. George Santos, leading to his immediate release.

Trump stated that Santos’s alleged mistreatment and long stretches in solitary confinement in prison were primary reasons for the commutation.

Santos was serving time for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud charges, to which he pleaded guilty, and was expelled from Congress in December 2023.

The Story So Far

George Santos was serving a seven-year sentence for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud charges stemming from his 2022 campaign, which led to his expulsion from Congress after revelations he fabricated significant parts of his biography. Santos had actively sought a presidential pardon or commutation, claiming mistreatment in prison and arguing his punishment was excessive, directly appealing to President Trump. President Trump’s decision to commute the sentence, leading to Santos’s immediate release, cited alleged mistreatment in prison and the belief that the sentence was disproportionate.

Why This Matters

President Trump’s commutation of George Santos’s seven-year sentence, leading to his immediate release, highlights the significant power of presidential clemency and could raise questions about the application of justice, particularly in high-profile fraud cases involving former political figures, especially given Trump’s stated reason of alleged mistreatment in prison.

Who Thinks What?

President Donald Trump commuted George Santos’s sentence, citing Santos’s alleged mistreatment in prison and arguing his seven-year term was excessive compared to other “rogues.”

George Santos believed his punishment was “far beyond what justice requires,” sought a presidential pardon/commutation, and took “full responsibility” for his actions while arguing he was “horribly mistreated” in prison.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has commuted the sentence of former Rep. George Santos, who was serving a seven-year term for fraud charges that led to his expulsion from Congress. The commutation, shared by Trump on Truth Social, results in Santos’s immediate release from prison.

Trump cited Santos’s alleged mistreatment in prison as a primary reason for the decision. “George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison,” Trump wrote. He added that Santos “has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated.”

Santos, 37, had surrendered on July 25 to begin his 87-month prison sentence. He had previously sought a presidential pardon from Trump, telling Saudi outlet Al Arabiya English that he believed his request had been “stonewalled” by “gatekeepers.”

Even while incarcerated, Santos continued to advocate for his release. Earlier this week, he published an open letter to Trump in The South Shore Press, pleading for “fairness” and stating he took “full responsibility” for his actions while arguing his punishment was “far beyond what justice requires.”

In August 2024, the former congressman pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud charges, which stemmed from activities during his 2022 midterm campaign. At the time of his plea, Santos stated in court, “I deeply regret my conduct. I accept full responsibility for my actions.”

Santos was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2023, before completing his first term. He became only the sixth lawmaker in history to be removed from the chamber. During his tenure, reports emerged that Santos had fabricated significant parts of his personal and professional biography, which he later admitted to.

The former representative for parts of Long Island and Queens had been serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, located in southern New Jersey, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons.