WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued full pardons Wednesday for reality television stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, ending their prison sentences stemming from a 2022 federal conviction for bank fraud and tax evasion. The couple, known for their popular USA Network series “Chrisley Knows Best,” were released from federal custody just hours after the presidential clemency was made official.
According to Shannen Sharpe, a spokesperson for the Chrisleys’ attorney, Todd Chrisley was freed Wednesday evening from a minimum-security prison camp in Pensacola, Florida, while Julie Chrisley was released from a federal facility in Lexington, Kentucky.
Outside the Florida prison, the couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, appeared visibly emotional as she spoke to reporters. Wearing a bright pink MAGA hat and a matching “Women for Trump” jacket, she expressed gratitude and anticipation. “We just want to get home. We want to be reunited,” she said. “My parents have not spoken to each other, heard each others’ voices, or seen each other in the past 2½ years.” Savannah confirmed that her brother, Grayson, had traveled to Kentucky to reunite with their mother.
Trump, who has frequently wielded presidential pardons as a tool of political loyalty and public influence, announced his intent to pardon the Chrisleys on Tuesday, saying the couple had received “pretty harsh treatment” given the circumstances of their case. The clemency aligns with Trump’s broader pattern of granting pardons to public figures, loyalists, and political allies, particularly those with connections to the entertainment industry or conservative causes.
Savannah Chrisley has been a vocal supporter of Trump, publicly endorsing his 2024 campaign and speaking at the Republican National Convention. She has long argued that her parents were wrongfully targeted and that their prosecution was politically motivated, despite the fact that their 2019 indictment was handed down by a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, Byung J. “BJay” Pak.
Still, Savannah credited officials in Trump’s administration for re-evaluating the case. “They saw the corruption,” she said, adding that Trump personally called her to deliver the news of the pardon while she was at a grocery store. “I didn’t have to do anything other than stand firm in my beliefs and fight for my parents.”
The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of submitting fraudulent loan applications to banks in the Atlanta area before achieving TV stardom. According to federal prosecutors, the couple and a former business partner falsified documents to secure millions in loans, which they then used to fund a lavish lifestyle filled with luxury cars, designer goods, and real estate. New loans were routinely used to pay off old ones, a scheme that ultimately collapsed when Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from over $20 million in debt.
Prosecutors also accused the Chrisleys of hiding income from their reality show to evade taxes, further bolstering the tax evasion charges. Despite their conviction being upheld last year by a three-judge panel on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the couple continued to maintain their innocence.
The Chrisleys’ legal team argued that their trial was marred by false testimony from an IRS officer and claimed that prosecutors lacked sufficient evidence. Their attorney, Alex Little, praised the presidential pardon as “a correction of a deep injustice.” He claimed the couple had been “targeted because of their conservative values and high profile.”
Before Trump’s intervention, Julie Chrisley, 52, had been serving a sentence set to end in January 2028, while Todd Chrisley, 56, wasn’t expected to be released until September 2032, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
As Savannah Chrisley waited outside the Pensacola facility for her father, she spoke about the family’s plans to reconnect and celebrate missed milestones. “We’re going to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, Christmases, all the things,” she said. “We’re going to make up for the lost time.”
The release of the Chrisleys sparked a wave of support from fans and conservative activists, many of whom gathered outside the prison to welcome Todd home. Savannah paused to take selfies and thank supporters before departing through the prison gates in a private vehicle.
The Chrisleys had built a loyal following with their reality series, which portrayed them as a wealthy, devout Southern family navigating life’s challenges with humor and faith. The stark contrast between their onscreen persona and the criminal charges added to the public intrigue surrounding their legal saga.
The decision to pardon the Chrisleys underscores Trump’s ongoing use of presidential clemency to reward prominent supporters and personalities with cultural influence, a strategy that has included pardons for rappers, business executives, and political operatives.
While critics decry such moves as favoritism and a circumvention of justice, Trump’s allies argue the president is correcting injustices overlooked by the courts. With the 2024 election looming, Wednesday’s pardons may serve to energize Trump’s base, particularly among reality TV fans and social conservatives.
