Former US congressman George Santos has described his prison sentence as 'disproportionate' but acknowledged it served as 'a very large slice of humble pie' in his first interview since Donald Trump commuted his sentence. Santos, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, was released after serving less than three months of a seven-year term.
Speaking on CNN's State of the Union, Santos said he was 'all politicked out' and called for a commutation for his former campaign staffer, Sam Miele. He insisted his release was not about returning to Congress but a 'personal journey'. Trump announced the commutation on Friday via Truth Social, saying: 'Good luck George, have a great life!'
Santos revealed he learned of the commutation from prison television, adding he had no prior expectations. When pressed by host Dana Bash on whether he received favourable treatment as a loyal ally, Santos deflected, referencing President Biden's pardons of family members and dismissing critics' 'pearl-clutching'.
As part of his plea deal, Santos had agreed to pay nearly $375,000 in restitution and $205,000 in forfeiture. When asked about repayment, he said he would comply if required by law but noted he had been out of prison for only two days. In a separate Fox News appearance, he claimed he no longer had to pay restitution and thanked Trump for his 'amazing will for second chances'.
Santos concluded by comparing potential criticism of Trump to a hypothetical pardon of Jesus Christ, stating: 'That's just the reality of our country.'
