Trump to Pardon Chrisleys After Fraud Convictions \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump announced plans to pardon reality TV personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted in 2022 for bank fraud and tax evasion. The Chrisleys, sentenced to 12 and 7 years respectively, were accused of securing $30 million in fraudulent loans. Trump framed the pardon as a correction of political bias.
Quick Looks
- Trump announces intent to pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley.
- Chrisleys convicted of defrauding banks out of $30M in 2022.
- Couple sentenced to 12 and 7 years, fined $17.8M.
- Trump calls treatment “harsh,” promises freedom “by tomorrow.”
- Pattern continues of Trump pardoning allies and celebrities.
- Legal team claims prosecution was politically biased.
- Appeals court upheld convictions but flagged Julie’s sentencing.
- Savannah Chrisley praised Trump at GOP convention.
- Trump supporters frame case as conservative persecution.
Deep Look
President Donald Trump has once again stirred national controversy with his latest planned presidential pardon—this time for Todd and Julie Chrisley, the reality TV stars behind Chrisley Knows Best. The Chrisleys are currently serving lengthy federal prison sentences for a multi-million-dollar fraud and tax evasion scheme. Trump’s decision, made public during a phone call with their daughter Savannah Chrisley, reflects his continued use of the presidential pardon to benefit political allies, conservative figures, and celebrity supporters.
Todd Chrisley is serving a 12-year sentence and Julie Chrisley is serving 7 years after a 2022 conviction for submitting false documents to secure over $30 million in fraudulent loans from banks in the Atlanta area. Prosecutors argued the couple then used the funds to finance a lavish lifestyle—flaunting luxury cars, designer clothes, and upscale vacations—while hiding earnings and failing to pay taxes. When Todd later declared bankruptcy, over $20 million in loans went unpaid. In addition to their prison terms, the couple was ordered to pay nearly $18 million in restitution.
Despite these convictions being upheld by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2023, Trump has called their treatment “harsh,” and said during his phone call to Savannah Chrisley, “Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope that we can do it by tomorrow.” A video of the call, shared online by a White House aide, featured the caption “Trump Knows Best,” a play on the family’s show title. According to a senior White House official, the pardons are expected to be finalized soon.
This announcement is part of a broader pattern in President Trump’s second term of granting pardons to individuals whose legal battles align with his political messaging. Just days earlier, Trump issued clemency for Scott Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff sentenced to 10 years for fraud and bribery. Trump labeled Jenkins a victim of the “Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ”—language he has frequently used to describe the U.S. justice system since his reelection.
Trump has also recently pardoned Paul Walczak, a Florida health care executive convicted of tax-related offenses. Walczak’s mother helped publicize excerpts from the diary of Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, adding political weight to the pardon. In April, Trump pardoned Michele Fiore, a Nevada Republican who misused funds intended for a police memorial for personal expenses, including plastic surgery.
The Chrisleys’ legal team celebrated the news. Attorney Alex Little stated, “President Trump recognized what we’ve argued from the beginning: Todd and Julie were targeted because of their conservative values and high profile.” Little called the prosecution “tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias,” and said the pardon “corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community.”
Legal analysts remain divided. Critics argue that the pardons signal a dangerous politicization of justice, especially when used to shield Trump allies and reinforce partisan narratives. Supporters, however, view the clemency powers as a legitimate check against what they believe is a biased judicial system targeting conservatives.
During their trial, prosecutors detailed how the Chrisleys, with the help of a former business partner, recycled fraudulent loans to pay off older debts, all while maintaining the illusion of financial success on television. Their financial crimes were discovered after years of federal investigation into suspicious banking practices tied to their lifestyle branding empire.
While the 11th Circuit upheld most of the convictions, it sent Julie Chrisley’s case back to a lower court in 2023 for resentencing, citing an error in holding her accountable for the entire fraudulent amount. That development provided the Chrisley family with a partial legal opening—but not the total exoneration they have pursued.
Savannah Chrisley has become a key public advocate for her parents, using her media profile to campaign for their release. At the 2024 Republican National Convention, she praised President Trump, accusing federal prosecutors of political persecution. “I’ll never forget what the prosecutors said in the most heavily Democratic county in the state, before an Obama-appointed judge. He called us the ‘Trumps of the South,’” she told the crowd. “He meant it as an insult, but I wear it as a badge of honor.”
Trump’s announcement drew a chorus of reaction across social media and the political spectrum. While many conservatives applauded the president’s stand against what they view as institutional bias, others warned that the steady stream of high-profile pardons—often involving campaign donors, loyalists, or right-wing media figures—risks further eroding public trust in impartial justice.
Still, for Trump, the Chrisley pardons represent another opportunity to reinforce his narrative of fighting a “deep state” apparatus that he claims targets conservatives, Christians, and high-profile Republicans. With the 2026 midterms approaching, this decision could galvanize his base—particularly among Southern voters and reality TV fans familiar with the Chrisleys’ rise and fall.
If the pardons are finalized as expected, it would mark a significant legal and political victory for the Chrisley family. It would also send a powerful message about Trump’s continued willingness to wield executive power on behalf of those he views as victims of selective prosecution. For the Chrisleys, it offers a second chance to rebuild their lives—and perhaps their brand—in the public eye.
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