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President Donald Trump pardoned Todd Chrisley and his wife, Julie Chrisley, after more than two years in prison — but when will they be released?
“I hope we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump, 78, told Todd, 56, and Julie’s daughter Savannah Chrisley and son Chase Chrisley on Tuesday, May 27, in a video shared via X. The president confirmed he wanted to get them released as soon as possible.
The president added, “Is that OK? We’ll try getting it done tomorrow. I don’t know them but give them my regards. Wish them a good life.”
Savannah, 27, was over the moon about the news: she’s been raising her and Chase’s younger two siblings, Grayson, 19, and Chloe, 12, since their parents reported to prison in January 2023. (Todd and Julie, 52, were convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion in 2022.)
“For the past two and a half years, I’ve done everything in my power to fight for my parents’ freedom and bring them home,” Savannah said in a statement to Us Weekly on Tuesday. “This moment is the answer to countless prayers, and I am beyond grateful to President Trump for seeing the truth and restoring my family.”
The reality star noted, “This administration does not hand out favors. It examines the facts and stands up for what is right.” Savannah proceeded to thank Alice Marie Johnson “for her unwavering support and our attorney, Alex Little, for being an essential part of this process.”
“Today is a victory for our family, but the fight against wrongful convictions and injustice within our prison system is far from over,” Savannah stated. “I will continue to use my voice and platform to advocate for those who do not have one. Family is everything to me, and I will never stop fighting for what is right.”
Little — who is a partner at Litson PLLC, the firm representing the Chrisleys — also issued a statement after the pardon was announced.
“This pardon corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community,” Little said on Tuesday. “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.”
According to Todd and Julie’s legal team, the attorneys submitted a pardon petition earlier this year claiming there was “serious misconduct by the government” when the reality stars were charged.
Litson PLLC alleged that the investigation into the Chrisley Knows Best stars included an “illegal raid, reliance on tainted evidence, and a trial that featured false testimony from a key government witness,” per the press release.
“Todd and Julie’s case is exactly why the pardon power exists: to correct misguided prosecutions and reaffirm basic constitutional protections,” Little added. “Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives.”
Todd and Julie were indicted in 2019 on charges of tax evasion, bank and wire fraud and conspiracy. They pleaded not guilty and went on trial in May 2022. The following month, the couple was found guilty on all counts and in November of that year Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison while Julie was sentenced to seven.
Us confirmed in January 2023 that Todd had reported to the FPC Pensacola minimum security facility in Florida. Julie, meanwhile, reported to Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. That September, the pair’s sentences were reduced by nearly two years as the family continued to fight for an appeal.
Savannah revealed in February that two years into their respective sentences, her parents’ inability to communicate was one of their biggest struggles.
“They don’t get to speak. It’s been two years, and they haven’t spoken a word to each other,” Savannah claimed to People. “They’ve been together almost 30 years, and they’ve never gone a day in their life without being with one another. That’s been a challenge. That should never happen.”
She quipped, “The Bureau of Prisons says they strive to keep families together. That’s what they love to quote. That is so far from the truth.”
