Trump says he has commuted sentence of George Santos in federal fraud case

In a surprise move, former US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he had commuted the sentence of George Santos, the embattled former Republican congressman who was sentenced to over seven years in prison for committing federal fraud. According to reports, Santos will be released from prison immediately and is "on his way home," according to his attorney Joseph Murray.

Trump's decision to commute Santos' sentence came after a push from key Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had called the congressman's conviction a "grave injustice" and urged Trump to intervene. In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump expressed sympathy for Santos, calling him "somewhat of a rogue," but stopped short of explicitly stating why he decided to grant clemency.

Critics have questioned the timing of Trump's decision, particularly given that Santos was already serving an 87-month sentence. The move has also raised eyebrows among some who are skeptical about Trump's motives, particularly in light of his own history with pardons and controversies surrounding presidential clemency.

In a separate tweet, Trump compared Santos to Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, criticizing the senator for allegedly fabricating claims about his military record. However, Trump's account of Blumenthal's past misstatements has become increasingly exaggerated over time.

The commutation is the latest in a string of high-profile interventions by Trump, who has resumed the use of presidential clemency to reward political allies since returning to the White House in January. The move marks a significant escalation in Trump's efforts to exert control over the justice system and influence the outcome of high-profile cases.

Santos' commutation also comes amid controversy surrounding his own past misdeeds, including numerous fabrications about his biography that ultimately led to his expulsion from Congress in 2023. Despite the controversy, Santos shared Trump's love of the national spotlight, even when it came to his own scandals.

So, I'm thinking... if Trump is gonna commute George Santos' sentence, does that mean he thinks Santos was unfairly targeted by the law? Like, yeah we get it, Santos made some mistakes, but come on, 7 years in prison? That's a big deal!

And what's with the timing of this decision? I mean, Santos is already serving almost 7 years, so what's Trump trying to accomplish here? Is it just to make Santos look like he's "free" or something?

I'm also wondering if there are any strings attached to this commutation... like, is Santos gonna do some favors for Trump in return? That would be super shady. And what about all the other folks who might've been targeted by the law but got off scot-free because they're BFFs with Trump? It just doesn't sit right.

Anyways, I guess this is one of those things where you gotta wonder if Trump's gonna start a whole new trend... like, "I'm a forgiving guy" kinda thing.

omg what is going on with trump?! he just commuted santos sentence outta nowhere... like doesnt he know this guy was already serving 7 years for fraud? and now hes gonna be free as a bird... meanwhile, we're still trying to get answers about his own "rogue" behavior in congress and whats with trumps constant attempts to wield power over the justice system? cant he just leave us alone?!

so trump just commuted george santos' sentence like what is going on here i mean i get that he was a republican and all but c'mon dude did u really gotta do this now when hes already serving an 87 month sentence? it's just so shady. and what's with the comparison to richard blumenthal btw Santos' got his own scandals going on too not saying its fair or anything but i guess its all part of the game right now

[Image of a meme showing George Santos and Donald Trump with a red "X" marked through their faces, surrounded by broken chains]

[Santos'] sentence was already longer than [Trump]'s Twitter followers

OMG just heard about this insane move by Trump Santos was already serving a pretty long sentence and now he's FREE I mean I get that Trump wants to help out his buddies but c'mon, 87 months is still a loooong time and what really gets me is the timing did they want him out ASAP so Santos could keep stirring up drama meanwhile, Trump's just throwing shade at Blumenthal love how he exaggerates stuff it's like, dude, get your facts straight

OMG, what a wild move by Trump ! I mean, I get why some people are saying he's just trying to flex his muscles and show who's boss, but come on, 87 months is already a pretty harsh sentence . And Santos' whole thing was basically just a masterclass in how not to lie about yourself... like, what was Trump thinking? He knows full well that Santos made some huge mistakes, so it doesn't really add up that he's being all sympathetic and stuff. I'm not saying it's a bad move for Santos or anything, but can we just get some actual transparency from the White House on this one? Transparency, right?

This whole thing is just wild. I mean, come on, a guy who got caught up in some serious fraud and now gets a slap on the wrist thanks to a former prez? It's like he's playing a game of politics and we're all just watching from the sidelines. And what's really interesting is how Trump is using this move to show off his power and influence. He's basically saying, "Hey, I'm still in charge, even if it's not officially." It's like he's trying to make a point about who gets clemency and who doesn't. But at the end of the day, it just feels like more gamesmanship from someone who's already proven himself to be pretty masterful at that game.

omg i cant believe trump is doing this again like what's next? he's gonna pardon himself too lol and whats up with santos anyway? isnt he that guy who lied about everything in congress and why would trump do this now when santos was already serving 87 months? didnt he just get sentenced to hard time for his crimes? and whats with all these pardons and clemencies he's giving out? isnt that kinda like, unfair to everyone else who did the right thing? i dont get it at all

can u believe trump just gave george santos a free pass after 7 yrs in prison? i mean, whats next? he's like a real-life superhero, always saving the day for his buddies... and btw, how many ppl r gonna buy this excuse about blumenthal's military record anyway?

omg did u see this news? so like trump just commuted george santos' sentence and now he's free i mean what even is going on here? cant he just stick to one thing for once lol anyway its kinda weird that hes doing all these pardons and stuff and i dont get why hes being so secretive about it maybe hes trying to boost his ratings or somethin i wonder if santos is actually innocent or if he just got caught with his hands in the cookie jar idk, can someone pls explain this whole thing to me?

OMG, can't believe what's going on ... Trump just commuted Santos' sentence? Like, seriously? That guy got sentenced for like, federal fraud or something and now he's free? I mean, I get that Santos is a big Trump supporter and all, but come on, Trump has so many skeletons in his own closet, it's crazy! What's next? Commuting sentences for everyone who supports him? This whole thing just reeks of politics and special treatment. Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on this, will see how it all plays out