President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has commuted the sentence of former U.S. Representative George Santos. Santos was serving over seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of fraud and identity theft. He was sentenced in April after admitting to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 individuals, including family members, to fund his campaign.

Santos reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey, on July 25. He was housed in a minimum-security prison camp with fewer than 50 inmates. Trump stated on his social media platform, "I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY."

Santos had appealed to the Trump administration shortly after receiving his sentence, claiming it was excessively harsh and politically motivated. U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former colleague, also urged the White House to commute his sentence, describing the punishment as a "grave injustice" and a result of judicial overreach.

The judge in Santos' case agreed with federal prosecutors that a harsher sentence was justified due to Santos' lack of remorse, despite claims from him and his legal team. Santos' commutation marks another significant act of clemency by Trump, who has granted similar relief to other former Republican politicians since returning to office in January.

Earlier this year, Trump pardoned former U.S. Representative Michael Grimm, who had pleaded guilty in 2014 to underreporting wages and revenue at a restaurant. He also pardoned former Connecticut Governor John Rowland, who faced corruption charges.

Santos, who became the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress in 2022, served less than a year in office. His tenure was marred by scandals after it was revealed that he had fabricated much of his personal history. He falsely claimed to have graduated from Baruch College and to have worked at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. He also misrepresented his heritage, stating he was Jewish, which he later clarified as being "Jew-ish" due to his mother's background, despite being raised Catholic.

In 2023, Santos faced multiple charges, including stealing from donors and fraudulently collecting unemployment benefits. He was expelled from the House of Representatives, becoming only the sixth member in history to be ousted by colleagues. Santos pleaded guilty the following year, just before his trial was set to begin.

Trump's use of clemency powers has been a notable aspect of his presidency, particularly in cases involving political figures. Santos' case adds to the ongoing discussion about the implications of such decisions in the political landscape.