Donald Trump's Surprise Move Leads To Todd And Julie Chrisley's Freedom

US President Donald Trump has reportedly pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, who have been imprisoned since 2023.

The president's move comes three months after the couple's attorney revealed that they would seek a pardon.

Todd and Julie were jailed after they were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud.

Todd and Julie's prison sentence has been cut short after Trump surprisingly granted them a pardon on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Trump made the announcement during a phone conversation with the reality television personalities' children.

He said, "That's a terrible thing. It's a terrible thing. But it's a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. Is that okay?"

Trump continued, "We'll try getting it done tomorrow. So give them — I don't know them, but give them my regards and wish them — wish them a good life."

The Chrisley children were grateful to the president for his kind gesture, as one of them said, "Mr. President, I just want to say thank you for bringing my parents back."

However, Trump responded, "Yeah? Well, they were given a pretty harsh treatment, based on what I'm hearing. Pretty harsh treatment. Was your brother fighting also for this release, right?"

Later during the conversation, the president said of Todd and Julie, "And just congratulate your parents. And I hear they're terrific people. This should not have happened, so."

He added, "Boy, they have — they have good — good children. You're no longer children, but I'll say it anyway. They have good children, don't they, huh?"

The Special Assistant to the President and Communications Advisor, Margo Martin, shared a video of Trump's phone conversation with the Chrisley children on X, and many netizens shared their thoughts about the pardon.

On one hand, some people expressed displeasure about the pardon while others celebrated with Savannah and her siblings.

One shocked person asked, "Hold on, didn’t they take out like 30 million in fraudulent loans to fund their lifestyle for tv, and then also lied on their tax return for years, so they did have to pay taxes on their wealth? Lmao and y'all are clapping for this?"

Another person shared, "This is truly disgraceful. They deserved their sentences," while a third netizen added, "Since tax evasion is so forgivable, he needs to extend that pardon to everybody else in the country."

One of those happy for the Chrisley matriarch and patriarch wrote, "This is the best news I’ve heard in a very long time! Savannah and Grayson and all of the family have fought so hard to get justice for their parents! God is good."

Another delighted X user shared, "So happy for your parents. I know their sentences were a direct result of their TV personality and politics. Well deserved pardon!" Another person wrote, "Their sentences were ridiculous! Fulton county is so corrupt. I’m just so grateful. What a relief. Poor Chloe has already been through so much."

Savannah and her siblings have been fighting hard to get their parents out of jail since their imprisonment, and their efforts seemingly yielded results after the attorney representing their parents revealed plans to seek pardon from Trump.

In February, Todd and Julie's attorney, Jay Surgent, told NBC News, "They believe that the president will seriously consider pardoning both Julie and Todd Chrisley as a result of the unfair treatment they received in the criminal justice system."

Surgent stated that the Chrisleys’ pardon request will argue that their constitutional rights were violated due to a warrantless warehouse search.

Although the trial judge didn’t suppress the evidence because of defense counsel errors, Surgent said the formal pardon request would be submitted to Trump’s legal team within two to four months.

Todd and Julie were indicted in 2019 on charges including tax evasion and bank fraud, accused of defrauding banks out of $30 million and hiding income from the IRS.

They were found guilty in 2022 and sentenced to 12 and 7 years in prison, respectively.

They began serving their sentences in early 2023 and were held in separate prisons, with no contact allowed. Todd spoke out about poor prison conditions, and his daughter, Savannah, criticized the justice system.

Julie’s sentence was briefly overturned in 2024 due to a judicial error but was later reinstated. She offered a tearful apology in court for the pain she had caused her family.