Teresa Giudice Advocates for Ex-Husband's Pardon During White House Visit

<p>Teresa Giudice, a star of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," visited the White House as her family seeks a pardon from President Donald Trump for her ex-husband, Joe Giudice. The visit occurred during a Columbus Day celebration of Italian-American heritage, to which Giudice and her daughter, Gia, were invited by the president and first lady.</p><p>Joe Giudice served 41 months in federal prison for fraud, involving falsified documents to obtain $5 million in loans and failing to report $1 million in income to the IRS. Teresa Giudice served 11 months in prison, but only Joe, who is not a U.S. citizen, was deported to Italy in 2019 after being held in ICE custody.</p><p>Following Joe's deportation, the couple ended their marriage, but Teresa continues to advocate for his return. "Even though Joe and I are not together, I would love for him to come back to America," Teresa Giudice stated. "I feel like he does belong here. He’s been here since he was one… And it was paperwork that he went away for. I’m hopeful too, that he comes back."</p><p>In July 2025, Gia Giudice publicly requested a pardon for her father. "My name is Gia Giudice. I’m the daughter of Joe Giudice, and today I’m using my voice for something deeply personal," she said in a video shared on social media. "My dad was deported over four years ago. Since then, our family has lived in an emotional limbo. No matter how strong we try to be, the absence of a father, of a parent, is something that never stops hurting."</p><p>Gia also presented a letter she had written to Trump. In a post regarding the White House visit, Deputy Assistant to the President Lynne Patton emphasized that she does not make pardon decisions, stating, "I am not in charge of pardons. Nor do I decide who receives them." She added, "However, I will say this, I believe deeply in second chances."</p><p>Gia referenced Trump's pardons of reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted of fraud and tax evasion, as motivation for her appeal. "Watching the Chrisley family receive a second chance inspired me," Gia said. "It showed me that people can be forgiven, that families could be restored and that sometimes the justice system has room for grace. That gave me hope."</p><p>President Trump described the Chrisleys' sentencing as "a terrible thing." The couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2024, advocating for Trump’s election while criticizing the U.S. justice system.</p>