President Trump is pardoning “terrific people” Todd and Julie Chrisley, who are serving time in separate federal prisons for tax evasion and bank fraud.
Trump gave the couple’s children the news via a personal phone call shared on X Tuesday, saying, “It’s a terrible thing. It’s a terrible thing. But it’s a great thing because your parents are gonna be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. It that OK? We’ll try getting it done tomorrow.”
He added, “I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good life.”
The Chrisleys’ youngest son, 19-year-old Grayson Chrisley, was heard saying, “Mr. President, I just wanna say thank you for bringing my parents back,” to which Trump replied, “Yeah, well, they were given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing. Pretty harsh treatment.”
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He then asked the couple’s 27-year-old daughter, Savannah Chrisley, who was on the call, “Was your brother fighting also for this release, right?”
Grayson responded, “I go to the University of Alabama, and I saw you speak, and I thought, ‘That’s the greatest presidential speech I’ve ever heard in my life.’”
Flattered, POTUS returned the praise, saying, “What a great group of people. If you were in the audience, you have to be good. What a good school it was, and I love Alabama, you know? I love Alabama.”
He continued, “That school is really — that was very impressive when I was there. Yeah, I think I did a good job. I got a lot of good comments on that one, so I love doing that with great young people.”
Savannah — who spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she publicly thanked Trump for standing up against political prosecutions and fighting for families like hers — then jumped in to say that her brother “got kicked out of class for defending” Trump, calling it “pretty interesting.”
Trump, 78, was “surprised” to hear that since he believes “90 percent” of the college’s students would vote for him.
“But anyway, you keep fighting,” he urged the pair. “Congratulate your parents. I hear they’re terrific people. That should not have happened, so you just take care.”
After Savannah thanked the president again, he responded, “Boy, they have good children! You’re no longer children, but I’ll say it anyway. They have good children, don’t they, huh?”
Todd and Julie’s attorney Alex Little told Page Six in a statement, “This pardon corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community. President Trump recognized what we’ve argued from the beginning: Todd and Julie were targeted because of their conservative values and high profile. Their prosecution was tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias.”
Little, a partner at Litson PLLC, went on, “Todd and Julie’s case is exactly why the pardon power exists: to correct misguided prosecutions and reaffirm basic constitutional protections. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives.”
According to Little, the “Chrisley Knows Best” stars’ pardon petition detailed serious misconduct by the government, including an illegal raid, reliance on tainted evidence and a trial that featured false testimony from a key government witness.
He also pointed out that both Todd, 56, and Julie, 52, have demonstrated exemplary conduct during their respective incarcerations.
The Chrisleys were found guilty in June 2022. Their accountant, Peter Tatantino, was also convicted of a series of related charges, including aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns.
Todd was sentenced to 12 years, and Julie received a seven-year sentence.
“The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum in November 2022.
“The jury’s unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors and evading taxes at every corner.”
