Fresh off their presidential pardon, reality TV couple Todd and Julie Chrisley are breaking their silence in a new interview with Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, the man who set them free. The exclusive sit-down will air this Saturday night on Fox News.
Todd and Julie, stars of the former USA Network series Chrisley Knows Best, were convicted in 2022 of tax evasion and defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million in personal loans. Todd was sentenced to 12 years and Julie to seven, with both entering prison in January 2023.
After serving two years each, they were granted full pardons by Trump on May 28, 2025. In a preview of the interview, Julie revealed the couple went 28 months without speaking during their time behind bars. “It was surreal,” she said. “People have asked, ‘Was it weird, was it awkward?’ It really wasn’t.”
Todd added, “I was never away from her, because she was in my spirit the entire time. I thought of her every second of my day, so when I hugged her the first time, it was like I was home. I knew I was coming home to the same woman that I left.”
He continued, “Now, when I say the same, I’m talking about in my heart spiritually. We have changed, and if we did not change in these 28 months, it would have been wasted.”
The Chrisley family has long been vocal supporters of Donald Trump. Their daughter, Savannah, even spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention. It was Savannah and her brother Grayson who received the pardon news directly from Trump via phone.
In a video of the call, Trump told Savannah, “It’s a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean. I don’t know them, but give them my regards, I wish them a good life… they were given a pretty harsh treatment given what I’m hearing.”
Savannah has also hosted Alice Marie Johnson — the criminal justice advocate granted clemency by Trump in 2018 — on her podcast Unlocked. Johnson, now Trump’s appointed “Pardon Czar,” was instrumental in the Chrisleys’ release and was present during the pardon phone call.
Speaking at a press event in Nashville, Todd said, “As bad as this experience has been, there’s also been a lot of lessons to come from it… I was still convicted of something that I did not do.”
He also confirmed the couple has begun filming a new reality show, set to premiere on Lifetime. “We’re blessed to have our family back, and we’re blessed to be coming back to television,” he said. “Because we do have a much bigger story to tell than we ever have.”