Disgraced former Republican congressman George Santos compared his pardon by President Trump to the crucifixion of Jesus during an interview on CNN Sunday. Speaking to CNN ‘s Dana Bash, the 37-year-old offered the wild analogy after he was asked about those who have called his pardon ‘favorable treatment.’

‘I’m pretty confident if President Trump had pardoned Jesus Christ off the cross, he would have had critics,’ Santos said, eliciting a stifled laugh from Bash. The former New York congressman donned a black blazer and turtleneck for the interview, more than a year after pleading guilty to identity theft and wire fraud in August 2024.

After being sentenced to seven years in prison, Santos also admitted to embellishing or outright lying about large parts of his resumé to become the representative for New York’s 3rd congressional district in 2023.

Asked if he had message to the more than 100 Republicans who voted to expel him from Congress during his interview with Bash, Santos said: ‘ I understand. I was in a chaotic ball of flame two years ago. I was my own worst enemy. ‘And I’m sorry.’

He also apologized to ‘the American people,’ the 3rd congressional district, and the leadership of the Republican Party, whom he noted ‘invested their time in me.’ ‘I’m sorry. I genuinely am sorry,’ he said.

Santos went on to thank Trump while calling for increased unity between the two political parties. He revealed he only learned of his commuted sentence from a news report Friday on prison TV.

Bash ended the interview by asking whether Santos had any more political aspirations now that he was free. No – I’m 37 years old. I can tell you this, not that I can see of in the next decade. I am – I’m all politicked out,’ Santos replied.

According to the House Ethics Committee, Santos fraudulently exploited ‘every aspect’ of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit. He pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in August 2024, and was sentenced to 87 months in jail in April 2025.

He also owned up to defrauding campaign donors, lying to Congress about his wealth, fraudulently filing for unemployment benefits, and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses like designer clothing. He was voted out of Congress in a historic 311 to 114 vote in December 2023.

Trump revealed he was commuting Santos’s Friday with a post on Truth Social that also offered well wishes from The White House. ‘George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated,’ the post read. ‘Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. ‘Good luck George, have a great life!’