President Donald Trump announced Tuesday his intention to pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley, the reality TV personalities convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion, which resulted in multi-year prison sentences.
“It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean,” Trump told their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, during a phone call.
“I hope we can do it by tomorrow,” he added, in a video shared on the social platform X by Margo Martin, a communications advisor and special assistant to the president.
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The "Chrisley Knows Best" starswere convicted in 2022 of orchestrating a scheme to obtain over $36 million in fraudulent loans from banks around the Atlanta area, according to federal prosecutors in Georgia’s Northern District.
During the Republican National Convention last summer, the couple's daughter made a speech in which she noted that her parents were prosecuted in Fulton County, Georgia. As she named the Peach State's most populous county, where Trump was also being prosecuted on multiple felony charges at the time, the crowd booed.
“I know! Fulton County!” Chrisley said. “They know how to do it, don’t they?” she said, suggesting that the couple was being wrongfully prosecuted.
The president's decision to pardon the TV personalities was heavily criticized on social media.
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Democratic influencer Harry Sisson wrote on X: "Trump just pardoned TV personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley who conspired to defraud Atlanta-area banks out of $30 million in fraudulent loans. In Trump’s America, crimes are celebrated and prison sentences are cut short. Actual insanity."
Writer Janice Hough said: "I didn't know who Todd and Julie Chrisley were. But again, Velveeta Voldemort shows that if you donate to him or are a celebrity who supports him, all crimes are forgiven. Donald would probably pardon Timothy McVeigh if he were still alive."
"Crooks and cronies only know to be loyal to Trump and they will never go wrong even if they shoot someone on Fifth Avenue or break into the capitol building," wrote a user.
"Another corrupt pardon. Reality TV President Donald Trump just pardoned reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were found guilty of conspiring to defraud banks and the IRS through tax evasion and bank fraud schemes," wrote the account Republicans against Trump.
Lawyer Aaron Parnas wrote: "It's almost like we are living in a reality TV show."
Since returning to office in January, Trump has issued a series of controversial pardons. Many of these pardons involve individuals with high-profile financial crime convictions.
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