George Santos, serving a situation word connected charges of fraud and individuality theft, had been held successful solitary confinement.
Published On 17 Oct 2025
United States President Donald Trump has said that helium volition commute the condemnation of erstwhile Republican Representative George Santos, who was serving a situation condemnation for fraud and individuality theft.
In a societal media station connected Friday, Trump acknowledged that Santos had made mistakes. But helium celebrated Santos as a beardown protagonist of the Republican Party and noted that household and friends had raised concerns implicit the erstwhile lawmaker’s conditions successful prison.
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“George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but determination are galore rogues passim our Country that aren’t forced to service 7 years successful prison,” Trump wrote successful a station connected Truth Social.
“At slightest Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”
Trump added that Santos has been “horribly mistreated”, citing his isolation down bars: “George has been successful solitary confinement for agelong stretches of time.”
Santos became a well-known governmental fig aft his predetermination triumph successful 2022, erstwhile helium flipped New York’s 3rd Congressional District from Democratic power to Republican.
Election observers noted it was 1 of the archetypal times an openly cheery Republican had won a spot successful the House of Representatives.
But quality reports rapidly revealed that Santos had fabricated key details of his beingness story, and by December 2022, investigators had started to delve into his concern dealings.
After a legislature committee recovered grounds that Santos had violated national law, including by deceiving donors and stealing from his ain campaign, the House of Representatives voted to expel him. Santos was little than a twelvemonth into his term.
By 2024, Santos had entered into a plea woody with prosecutors to debar a proceedings implicit the allegations. He was sentenced successful April for deceiving donors and misleading 11 people, including members of his ain family, into giving wealth to his campaign.
But Santos, a vocal Trump supporter, rapidly began a propulsion for the president to commute his situation time, claiming that his punishment was politically motivated.
Trump has besides depicted himself arsenic a unfortunate of unjust persecution astatine the hands of governmental enemies. He is known to use the powerfulness of statesmanlike pardon connected behalf of his supporters.
At the opening of his existent term, for example, Trump controversially pardoned astir each of those charged with participating successful the onslaught connected the US Capitol connected January 6, 2021. That onslaught was portion of a bid to violently overturn the results of the 2020 statesmanlike election, which Trump lost.
Santos and his allies person besides drawn attraction to his placement successful solitary confinement. Though cells meant to maximise isolation are communal successful US prisons, critics reason they represent “cruel and antithetic punishment”, fixed their transportation to intelligence wellness issues and heightened risks of suicide.
Santos entered the Federal Correctional Institution successful Fairton, New Jersey, connected July 25. He has written respective columns astir his acquisition with solitary confinement since then, reiterating his entreaty for Trump to amusement mercy.
“I americium not asking for peculiar treatment. I americium asking to beryllium treated arsenic a idiosyncratic – with attention, dignity, and the attraction immoderate quality deserves erstwhile successful distress,” helium wrote successful an sentiment column.
“And yes, I renew my plea to President Trump: intervene. Help maine flight this regular torment and fto maine instrumentality to my family.”