Trump's Shock Pardon Of Todd & Julie Chrisley Has Everyone Picking Sides
Proving that perhaps they didn't know best, reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud in 2022 and began serving time in separate prisons a year later. Todd has long maintained his and Julie's innocence, claiming that a crooked former business partner was actually the one behind the shady financial dealings. And apparently, the president agrees. On May 27, 2025, Donald Trump granted the Chrisleys a full pardon, and he took the time to give the good news over the phone to their daughter Savannah Chrisley for good measure.
"Your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow," he proudly confirmed (via Instagram). Accompanied by Trump's "pardon czar" Alice Marie Johnson, the divisive politician added that Todd and Julie had endured "pretty harsh treatment, from what I'm hearing," and wished them good luck in the future. It was a happy plot twist to the most dramatic chapter of the Chrisleys' lives to date. Todd has spoken out frequently about his depressing life in prison, claiming to have been abused by the guards, given spoiled food, and denied commissary privileges, among other torments.
Julie has reportedly had a slightly easier time in the Kentucky prison where she was sent; Sharita Mona, a former inmate, appeared on Savannah's podcast "Unlocked" to share that while Julie had developed a social circle through card games with the other women, her family was never far from her mind: As Mona promised Savannah, "She's worried about you all [...] She loves you all. You are her world." Chrisley fans and MAGA loyalists alike have been cheering the news, while those on the opposite side of the political fence are shaking their heads over what they deem preferential treatment for overprivileged celebs.
Many felt the Chrisleys' money and fame helped get them free
Social media erupted at the news that Todd and Julie Chrisley, of "Chrisley Knows Best" fame, would soon be free. Equal measures of thanks were offered both to Jesus and Donald Trump. On X, formerly known as Twitter, controversial Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene simply exclaimed, "Amazing!" Margo Martin, the president's communications advisor, quipped, "Trump Knows Best!" Desperately trying to stay relevant despite her recent fall from grace in TrumpLand, Kimberly Guilfoyle offered her own virtual applause.
Those who opposed the move had plenty to say, as well. The overwhelming opinion from detractors was that the Chrisleys likely bought their freedom. If the reality TV stars weren't wealthy white celebrities, they argued, Trump wouldn't have given them the time of day. "If I've learned anything in 2025, it's that crime does pay," joked one commenter. Another respondent foresaw a White House future for the reality stars: "Criminal grifters? It seems more like cabinet material. Secretary of Energy and Secretary of Labor?"
BREAKING!
President Trump calls @_ItsSavannah_ to inform her that he will be granting full pardons to her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley!
Trump Knows Best! pic.twitter.com/j5WPMOOQ7L
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) May 27, 2025
Funnily enough, Eric Trump's wife Lara Trump actually predicted the pardon by interviewing Savannah Chrisley for her Fox News show just days earlier. Among the reactions to her post were several from people who claimed to have first-hand knowledge of the Chrisleys. As one user posited, "They are exactly where they belong and should not get out of jail for a very long time." Yet another famous figure is hoping that the president will be as lenient with him as he was to the Chrisleys. "Tiger King" star Joe Exotic, currently behind bars for animal mistreatment and an alleged murder-for-hire scheme, posted a "FREE JOE EXOTIC" meme of himself with a lion and the American flag in the background (want to get going on that one, Lara?).