Donald Trump Releases George Santos from Prison and Wishes Disgraced Ex-Congressman ‘Good Luck’

Former President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of George Santos, the ex-New York congressman convicted of multiple counts of fraud.

Trump shared the news on his Truth Social account on Oct. 17, writing that he “just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY.” In his post, Trump compared Santos’ situation to that of Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, whom he has previously criticized.

“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. “I started to think about George when the subject of Democrat Senator Richard ‘Da Nang Dick’ Blumenthal came up again.”

According to CNN, Trump had called for a federal investigation into Blumenthal earlier this year, alleging that the senator misrepresented his military service during the Vietnam War. Blumenthal denied the accusation, telling the outlet that Trump’s claims were “completely deceptive and distorted.”

Trump continued in his post, “His War Hero status, and even minimal service in our Military, was totally and completely MADE UP. This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”

He also alleged that Santos had been subjected to harsh conditions behind bars, including “solitary confinement for long stretches of time,” claiming the former lawmaker was “horribly mistreated.”

Trump ended the post with a brief message to Santos: “Good luck George, have a great life!”

Santos’ attorney, Robert Fantone, said in a statement, “We never gave up on him. And now it looks like George’s sentence is fair and commensurate with the nature and severity of conduct.”

Santos was convicted in August 2024 on 23 counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, following a request from federal prosecutors for a longer term, citing his “belligerent” and “attention-seeking” behavior. His indictment in 2023 led to his expulsion from the U.S. House of Representatives.

The disgraced congressman, who has faced numerous allegations of fabricating details about his background and making unwanted sexual advances toward a prospective staffer, reported to a federal prison in New Jersey on July 25. The night before, he posted a farewell message to his supporters on X, writing, “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news, what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days.”

Because Trump issued a commutation rather than a pardon, Santos’ convictions remain on his record. As the U.S. Department of Justice explains, “a commutation of sentence does not change the fact of conviction, imply innocence, or remove civil disabilities that apply to the convicted person as a result of the criminal conviction.”