PARDON ME?

Trump Scores Points With MTG by Pardoning Bestie George Santos

The president took a step toward peace in the MAGA civil war that’s been raging in Washington, with Marjorie Taylor Greene among its leaders.

President Donald Trump made a decision that was guaranteed to please Marjorie Taylor Greene when he announced on Friday that he had commuted George Santos’ 87-month prison sentence, making the former congressman eligible for immediate release.

The move comes hours after the Georgia congresswoman, a vocal Santos ally who previously asked for his sentence to be commuted, went scorched earth on her own party, telling Axios in an interview that the GOP was not putting America first.

In a post to Truth Social announcing his decision, the president wrote, “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.”

He went on to discuss Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who in 2010 apologized for misleading voters about his military service record.

“He never went to Vietnam, he never saw Vietnam, he never experienced the Battles there, or anywhere else. 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!” the president wrote.

Trump ended the post with a message for George, writing, “George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!”

The language used by the president mirrors wording in a letter Greene sent in August asking for Santos’ sentence to be commuted.

“While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges,” Greene wrote in her appeal.

“I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system,” she continued.

Greene, formerly a reliable Trump ally in Congress, has grown increasingly critical of her own party in recent weeks, finding herself embroiled in a MAGA civil war over the handling of the Epstein files, lashing out at Speaker Mike Johnson’s “hypocrisy” and criticizing the Trump administration’s $40 billion bailout for Argentina.

In her Friday interview with Axios, MTG stressed that she still supported the president—noting that he’s done “a great job in a lot of places”—but that his administration’s focus on global conflicts has irritated her.

Despite this tension, Greene celebrated the news on Friday, writing on X, “THANK YOU President Trump for releasing George Santos!! He was unfairly treated and put in solitary confinement, which is torture!!”

In addition to Greene’s appeal, Santos himself published an open letter addressed to Trump on Monday. In it, he detailed his experience in solitary confinement, where he was reportedly placed in response to a death threat, and appealed to the president to commute his sentence.

“Sir, I appeal to your sense of justice and humanity—the same qualities that have inspired millions of Americans to believe in you. I humbly ask that you consider the unusual pain and hardship of this environment and allow me the opportunity to return to my family, my friends, and my community. I want nothing more than to begin again—to contribute, to serve, and to rebuild my life from the ashes of my past,” Santos wrote.

“Mr. President, I have nowhere else to turn. You have always been a man of second chances, a leader who believes in redemption and renewal. I am asking you now, from the depths of my heart, to extend that same belief to me.” Santos had also previously appealed to the president for help last month, with Greene also championing the cause on social media.

“George Santos had a better voting record than MOST members of Congress!!! Including EVERYONE who voted to expel him!!! Honestly, George should be pardoned!!!” Greene wrote. Prior to entering prison, Santos had expressed a desire to be kept in solitary confinement for the entirety of his sentence.

Santos, who was convicted of identity theft and wire fraud and sentenced to 87 months in prison, began serving his sentence in July. He had previously not been included in the sweeping pardons Trump issued for more than 1,500 people following his inauguration in January, and Santos previously told The Daily Beast he had not asked the president for a pardon.

The Daily Beast has contacted Greene’s office for comment. When reached for comment, the White House instead referred the Daily Beast to the president’s Truth Social post.

Santos, who ultimately only served three months of his sentence, has yet to comment publicly on the news. But in a statement to the Daily Beast, Santos’ lawyer Joe Murray praised both Trump and Greene.

“God bless President Donald J. Trump the greatest President in U.S. history! I really have to thank Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who fought like a lion on George’s behalf,” the statement reads. Other people thanked in the statement include Rep. Lauren Boebert, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, and U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin.

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