President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of former Republican congressman George Santos, who was serving a seven-year term for fraud and identity theft. The decision comes after Trump expressed concerns about the treatment of Santos during his incarceration, including prolonged periods in solitary confinement. Trump emphasized that Santos’ punishment was excessive and that he had been ‘horribly mistreated’ during his time in prison. Unlike a pardon, the commutation shortens Santos’ sentence but does not erase his conviction. The ex-congressman remains eligible to run for federal office.
Santos, who was expelled from Congress in December 2023, pleaded guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, admitting to diverting campaign funds for personal use and filing false disclosures during his 2022 election campaign. Some of his suspect purchases included Botox treatments and an OnlyFans subscription, according to the Ethics Committee report. The ex-congressman also faced earlier controversy after reports that he had performed in drag in Brazil. He initially called the stories ‘categorically false,’ but later said: ‘I was young, and I had fun at a festival. Sue me for having a life.’
Trump has made broad use of his clemency powers in his second term, including mass pardons for about 1,500 people charged over the January 6 Capitol riot. He also compared Santos’ case with that of Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who had misstated his Vietnam War service record. ‘This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN,’ Trump wrote. His comments highlight the political implications of the commutation, drawing attention to the broader context of political figures facing legal consequences and the use of presidential clemency as a tool in partisan and personal contexts.