Trump urged to reduce George Santos' federal prison term by Marjorie Taylor Greene, citing more severe offenses
In a recent development, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has asked President Donald Trump to commute George Santos' seven-year federal prison sentence, arguing that the punishment is excessive and unjust.
Santos, a former Republican Congressman from New York, pleaded guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced in April to 87 months (about seven years). He began serving his sentence on July 25, 2025.
The guilty plea and sentence followed investigations into campaign finance fraud, donor identity theft, false COVID-era unemployment claims, false Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports, and false statements to the House. Santos was expelled from Congress in 2023.
Greene sent a written petition to the U.S. Pardon Attorney, Edward R. Martin Jr., asking the Office of the Pardon Attorney to urge President Trump to commute Santos’s sentence.
According to Greene, the seven-year sentence for campaign-related offenses is excessive and extends far beyond what is warranted, given Santos’s lack of prior criminal history. She asserts that Santos has shown remorse and accepted responsibility for his actions.
Greene also contends that some current members of Congress have committed “far worse offenses” yet faced no criminal charges, and she frames commutation as a correction of unequal application of justice. However, she did not name specific members or cite examples in her public letter.
The media has summarised Greene’s public post sharing the letter, quoting her characterization of the sentence as “a grave injustice” and “an abusive overreach by the judicial system.” Coverage notes Greene voted against Santos’s 2023 expulsion, and roughly three-quarters of the House voted to expel him, including many Republicans.
It is important to note that commutation is an executive act, and ultimately it requires a presidential decision. The role of the Pardon Attorney is advisory, and presidents have broad, but discretionary, clemency power.
As of the current reports, there has been no official response from the White House, the Pardon Attorney, or the Department of Justice regarding Greene’s request and Santos’s petition for clemency.
Santos has remained publicly active after his sentencing, selling video messages on Cameo and making social media posts. The full text of Greene’s letter to the Pardon Attorney, if publicly available, has not been disclosed yet.
[1] CNN, "Marjorie Taylor Greene asks Trump to commute George Santos' sentence," URL
[2] The New York Times, "Marjorie Taylor Greene Urges Trump to Commute George Santos' Sentence," URL
[3] Politico, "Greene asks Trump to commute George Santos' sentence," URL
In light of the petition by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times, and Politico are reporting breaking news about the political plea for the commutation of George Santos' seven-year federal prison sentence. This news comes amidst a general-news backdrop involving crime-and-justice issues, with Santos pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
