Donald Trump’s recent pardon of reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley appears to have inspired another former small-screen personality to seek presidential intervention. Joe Giudice, formerly of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, has taken to social media in a direct appeal to the former president, asking for a chance to return to the United States.
Giudice, 53, served time in federal prison following his 2014 conviction on multiple counts of bankruptcy fraud and one count of tax evasion. After completing his 41-month sentence, he was deported to Italy in 2019, having never acquired U.S. citizenship despite living in the country since childhood.
Now residing in the Bahamas since 2021, Giudice says he has exhausted his legal options and is turning to Trump for help. On Thursday, he posted a plea on Instagram:
“I’m Joe Giudice. I served my time, and I’ve been deported from the U.S. for nearly a decade. I was raised in Jersey, I’m a father of four amazing daughters, and I just want to be allowed to visit them again. President Trump, I respect you and I’m asking for a second chance.”
He signed off with the hashtag #trump2024 and tagged Donald Trump Jr. His ex-wife, Teresa Giudice—who served 15 months in prison for her role in the fraud case—responded to the post with a heart and prayer hands emoji, showing her support.
Speaking on her podcast, Turning the Tables With Teresa Giudice, earlier this year, Joe expressed frustration over his legal battle to re-enter the U.S. “I got a lawyer working on something, but she’s been working on it and hasn’t done anything yet,” he said.
“I did get in front of the embassy, and they denied me… it took not even five minutes. So I’m done with this crap. It is what it is.” At the time of their sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey stated, “The Giudices together deceived financial institutions with patently false loan applications… Prison is the appropriate penalty for these serious financial crimes.”
In a 2023 interview with the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast, Joe criticized his deportation. “I got thrown into a country that I knew nothing about. Basically, just dumped there like, I guess, a dog. Not even a dog gets dumped like that.”
He added, “The U.S. treats you like garbage… Thank God, Italy took me in and actually treated me like a person.” Whether Giudice’s public plea to Trump will lead to any action remains to be seen.