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By Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he plans to grant full pardons to Todd and Julie Chrisley, the stars of the reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best.
The couple rose to fame portraying a tight-knit, faith-centered Southern family enjoying an extravagant lifestyle.
In 2022, they were convicted of defrauding banks in the Atlanta out of more than $30 million and evading taxes. The pardons come amid Trump's broader pattern of granting clemency to high-profile allies and supporters, sparking renewed debate over the use of presidential pardon powers.
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In a social media post, the White House said Trump personally called their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, to deliver the news, quipping, "Trump Knows Best!" Savannah could be heard on the call thanking the president.
Newsweek has reached out to Savannah Chrisley via her real estate company via email Tuesday night for comment.
Why It Matters
The decision to pardon the Chrisleys adds to Trump's record of using executive clemency for politically aligned figures and public personalities.
On Monday, the president pardoned Scott Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff, who was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted on charges of conspiracy, fraud and bribery.
The president also recently granted a pardon to Paul Walczak, a Florida health care executive convicted on tax charges. His mother played a role in revealing the contents of a diary belonging to Ashley Biden, daughter of former President Joe Biden.
What to Know
The Chrisleys were found guilty in 2022 of submitting fraudulent documents to secure tens of millions in loans, then using the money to fund a lavish lifestyle including luxury cars, designer clothing and real estate.
Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Julie Chrisley to seven; they were also ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution. Prosecutors said Todd had also filed for bankruptcy and abandoned more than $20 million in unpaid loans.
An appellate court later upheld their convictions but returned Julie's case to the lower court for resentencing due to an error in how her sentence was calculated.
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The Chrisley case has gained significant media attention not only because of the couple's celebrity status but also due to claims by their legal team and supporters that they were unfairly targeted for their values and visibility.
Savannah Chrisley said at the 2024 Republican National Convention that prosecutors referred to the family as the "Trumps of the South" — a comparison she said she wears "as a badge of honor."
In February, Savannah told People magazine that she hoped Trump would pardon her parents.
"I know that I am going through the proper channels to do so, and I'm going to bring as much awareness to it as possible because these things should not happen," she told the outlet.
"We thought it was going to end differently," she continued. "We had lawyers who had told us it was going to end differently. We stood in the truth, and we stood in what we knew to be the truth. We saw the corruption in Fulton County. We saw how the judge handled the case. We just saw all of it and we're like, 'There's no way. There's no way it's going to end this way.' But it did," she added.
What People Are Saying
Trump personally called the Chrisley family to share news of the upcoming pardons, telling their daughter Savannah and another sibling: "Your parents are going to be free and clean... I hope that we can do it by tomorrow."
He added that they had received "pretty harsh treatment."
The Chrisleys' attorney, Alex Little, praised the decision, saying it: "corrects a deep injustice" and accusing the government of targeting the couple due to "conservative values and high profile."
Lance Wilson, director of communications and policy for the Anti Police-Terror Project, posted on X, formerly Twitter, "The Chrisleys defrauded banks out of $36 million—and they're walking away after serving just a fraction of their time. Meanwhile, there are Black folks serving life for stealing a pack of gum. That's not justice. That's white privilege—and exactly who Trump protects."
What's Next
The White House has not yet issued the official paperwork, but an administration official confirmed to the Associated Press the pardons are imminent. Once signed, the pardons would nullify the Chrisleys' convictions and eliminate the remaining prison time and financial penalties.
For the Chrisley family, it marks the beginning of a new chapter — one focused on what their attorney called "healing and rebuilding."
Update: 5/27/25, 5:34 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 5/27/25, 5:46 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update: 5/27/25, 5:54 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update: 5/27/25, 7:05 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
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