President Trump said Friday he signed a commutation to immediately release former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from prison.
Why it matters: Santos was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison in April, after pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The latest: In a Truth Social post, Trump compared Santos to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) as being "rogue."
- Trump claimed Blumenthal never served in the Vietnam War, saying his entire experience was "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!" Trump said.
- Trump said he signed a commutation, immediately releasing Santos from long periods of solitary confinement. "Good luck George, have a great life!"
The other side: Blumenthal shared in a statement to Axios: "This rant is fabricated nonsense. There's no excuse for commuting George Santos' sentence."
Zoom out: Trump has previously pardoned criminals throughout his administration, including 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Blumenthal.
