George Santos' sentence commuted: Can ex-New York Rep run for office again? Details here

President Donald Trump on Friday said that he has commuted the sentence of former US Rep George Santos.

Published on: Oct 18, 2025, 04:13:21 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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President Donald Trump on Friday said that he has commuted the sentence of former US Rep George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges. The 37-year-old was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people, including his own family members, to make donations to his campaign.

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., waits for the start of a session in the House chamber in Washington, Jan. 6, 2023. (AP)

He reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, in southern New Jersey, on July 25 and is being housed in a minimum security prison camp with fewer than 50 other inmates.

“I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “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,” he added.

Can George Santos run for office again?

Yes, Santos can run for federal office again. The commutation does not restore his voting rights or erase his conviction, but it does not impose a disqualification under the Constitution or federal law. Article I, Section 3 of the US Constitution requires senators to be "inhabitant[s] of the State" and of a certain age, but no clause bars felons.

The House can expel members (as it did Santos in 2023 with a 311-114 vote), but voters can re-elect them, as seen with Michael Myers (D-PA), who ran after 1980 bribery conviction and expulsion. Santos, ineligible for the House floor until his term expired in January 2025, is now free to campaign.

Santos, a Brazilian-born US citizen, could run for Congress in 2026, but his expulsion sets a precedent: no expelled member has returned to the House since 1861.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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