Chrisley Knows Best star Julie Chrisley reveals tearful reaction to life-changing Donald Trump pardon
In an upcoming interview with President Donald Trump 's daughter-in-law Lara Trump for Fox News that was shared Tuesday via TMZ, Julie, 52, revealed how she was overcome by tears after her daughter Savannah called her with the news that she had received a presidential pardon after being convicted in 2022 of federal bank fraud and tax evasion charges.
Todd, 56, also shared his reaction to the news, which was hilariously distinct from the response of his wife Julie, who showed off her standard blond locks after debuting a shocking jail makeover shortly after her release.
The convicted fraudsters were joined by their two youngest children: 27-year-old Savannah — who has publicly proclaimed their innocence and advocated for their pardon for years — and their 19-year-old son Grayson, who had picked up Julie from prison after her pardon.
Among the couple's missing children were their 35-year-old daughter Lindsie, who has been estranged from her family members, and Kyle, 33, who has also been estranged from his father but admitted he was 'ecstatic' to learn of his parents' pardon.
Curiously, the family's middle child, 29-year-old Chase, was also nowhere to be seen during the triumphant interview.
Julie, 52, revealed how she was overcome by tears after her daughter Savannah called her with the news that she had received a presidential pardon after being convicted in 2022 of federal bank fraud and tax evasion charges; pictured in a publicity still for Chrisley Knows Best
In the interview, Julie recounted calling her daughter from prison and hearing Savannah shout, 'He did it! He signed [the pardon]!'
Julie said she 'started busting out crying' after hearing those words.
She added that everyone around the phone started staring at her emotional outburst, and it a fit of nervous she 'just hung up' on her daughter.
'It was the craziest thing, and everyone was just looking at me,' Julie said to laughter from her family and the host.
She added that 'most of the news that you get in prison is bad news,' so people around her feared for the worst at the sight of her tears and began to ask her if she was all right after her fateful phone call.
Todd then shared his own hilarious disparate reaction, which concerned prison guards because of the lack of waterworks.
'This guy stops me and he goes, "Man, I think you just got pardoned." And I said, "Yeah, OK." And I just kept right on walking,' Todd admitted.
He said a corrections officer later approached him to ask if he was 'good' due to the bizarre lack of emotion he showed.
But Todd took a more serious tone as he went on to say that his family owed 'thanks to God' for facilitating the pardon and leading President Trump to show them mercy. 'Every night I would pray that God would return me home to my wife and my children,' he added; seen May 30
'I said, "As good as I can be." And he said, "Todd, you just got pardoned. They sent me down here to make sure you're OK." And I said, "Well they don't need to be worrying about me now. Hell, if I'm pardoned, I'm great."'
But Todd took a more serious tone as he went on to say that his family owed 'thanks to God' for facilitating the pardon and leading President Trump to show them mercy.
'I'm grateful, because every night I would pray that God would return me home to my wife and my children,' he added in a low voice. 'And He did that, so I'm grateful.'
Unlike his older siblings, Chase has apparently maintained a solid relationship with his parents like his two younger siblings.
But he has seemingly been missing in action from the post-pardon celebrations that his family has engaged in.
Earlier this year, Chase ran into trouble with the law when he was arrested after an alleged bar fight.
According to a police report, he 'became really drunk' at a bar in Atlanta, Georgia, and 'started to act very disrespectful and belligerent.'
When the bar manager asked him to leave because of his behavior, Chase allegedly ' slapped' the manager twice in the face.
His attorneys subsequently denied the details in the report, claiming that 'He did not assault anyone' and alleging that he was 'calling a driver to take him home' and 'trying to close out his tab and leave' before the alleged incident.
In the wake of his arrest, Chase announced on March 29 that he was 'Almost one month alcohol free' and 'feeling better than I have in years.'
He has also gone all out to promote his new non-alcoholic seltzer this month.
After a nearly three-week jury trial, Todd and Julie were convicted in June 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta, Georgia area out of more than $30 million in personal loans by submitting false documents.
They were also found guilty of wire fraud and tax evasion, obscuring their earnings while showcasing a luxurious lifestyle with expensive cars and designer clothes.
After years of advocating for her parents' pardon, Savannah showed fealty to President Trump by transforming into a 'MAGA Barbie' with a hot-pink Trump-supporting outfit when she announced her parents' pardons on May 28.
'President Trump signed the pardons at around 3pm this afternoon and it's all due to President Trump, Alice Johnson, Ed Martin, all of them,' she told the crowd.
'They have truly just shown up and looked at [Todd and Julie's] case with a fine-tooth comb and they've seen the corruption.'
After her call with Trump, Savannah said she arrived at her dad's prison in Pensacola at 2 in the morning on Wednesday and has been waiting there since.
'I have not gone to sleep. I did not bring any clothes with me. I did not bring a toothbrush with me. I brought absolutely nothing with me,' she revealed with a laugh.
'I'm just a daughter that wants to take my dad home with me.'
When asked what Todd and Julie's reactions were to Trump's pardon, Savannah said that he was initially in total disbelief.
'They didn't believe it. [The pardon] literally came out of nowhere. As I said before, I was walking into the grocery store when I got the call from the president,' she explained.
'I was just in such shock and such awe that the president himself called me and took the time to let me know that my family's coming back together.'
Savannah said that her and Trump's entire correspondence was captured 'on video' and that he had called to let her know that he was 'reuniting [her] family.'
According to TMZ, production has already started on a new reality show for the Chrisleys, and a camera crew followed both Savannah and Grayson as they traveled to pick up their parents from prison.
The couple's shock release will be a major storyline for the new show, according to members of the production.
However, the show will be missing out on one particularly dramatic moment, as Trump's unexpected phone call to Savannah was reportedly not captured by Lifetime's camera crew.
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