Trump frees fraudster ex-congressman: 'Have a great life!'

President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform Friday that he is commuting the sentence of former New York congressman and convicted fraudster George Santos, offering a whataboutist argument for why he deserved to be freed.

"George Santos was somewhat of a 'rogue,' but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison," wrote Trump. "I started to think about George when the subject of Democrat Senator Richard 'Da Nang Dick' Blumenthal came up again."

"As everyone remembers, 'Da Nang' stated for almost twenty years that he was a proud Vietnam Veteran, having endured the worst of the War, watching the Wounded and Dead as he raced up the hills and down the valleys, blood streaming from his face," wrote Trump. "He was 'a Great Hero,' he would leak to any and all who would listen — And then it happened! He was a COMPLETE AND TOTAL FRAUD. He never went to Vietnam, he never saw Vietnam, he never experienced the Battles there, or anywhere else. His War Hero status, and even minimal service in our Military, was totally and completely MADE UP."

Blumenthal came under controversy around 2010, over statements that appeared to imply he had served in the Vietnam War, and later apologized for "misspeaking." He was a Marine Corps reservist stationed domestically in the 1970s, which, while it was military service, didn't require him to fight overseas.

"This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!" Trump continued. "George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!"

Trump appears to be under the impression that Santos was imprisoned for the false statements he made on the campaign trail about his personal background, including fabricating his education, family history, and ethnic heritage. However, that scandal had nothing to do with why Santos went to prison; rather, he pleaded guilty to a wire fraud and money laundering scheme in which he stole credit card information from his campaign donors and used it for his own purposes.