Trump orders release of Arkansas congressman's son serving drug sentence
President Donald Trump granted clemency to Rep. Steve Womack's son, James Phillip Womack. A White House Official cited health issues in the family.

President Donald Trump has granted clemency to a Republican congressman's son who was in prison for distributing methamphetamine.

Trump commuted the federal sentence of James Phillip Womack, the son of Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack, on Thursday, Jan. 15, according to the official Executive Grant of Clemency signed by Trump and issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.

A White House official told USA TODAY that coupled with James Womack's record of good behavior in prison, the family has had several recent health issues, including his mother being diagnosed with abdominal cancer and his brother suffering from a seizure disorder and having difficulty living by himself.

The congressman’s son was sentenced in federal court in May 2024 to a $1,900 fine and eight years in prison for distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine, according to court records. He had been arrested multiple times on drug charges before.

House Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee Chair Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) listens as Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler testifies before a House Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee hearing on President Biden's budget request for the Securities and Exchange Commission, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 29, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis
The commutation still requires Womack to serve five years of supervised release.

The congressman didn't immediately respond to a USA TODAY request for comment. He expressed gratitude to Trump in statements to Arkansas television stations KTHV and KNWA.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/19/trump-congressman-steve-womack-son-clemency-prison-release/88251297007/