Is Rod Blagojevich a Republican? All we know about the former Illinois governor pardoned by Trump

Rod Blagojevich was immediately chased down by the media for his stance on Trump upon his release from prison in 2020.

Blagojevich was elected as a Democrat and served as a Governor of Illinois from 2003 until his impeachment and removal in 2009.

In his first public statement after being released from prison, Rod Blagojevich thanked Trump, calling himself a 'Trump-ocrat,' despite all the political differences. He emphasized his appreciation for Trump’s decision to commute his sentence, stating:

"I'd like to express my most profound and everlasting gratitude to President Trump. He didn't have to do this. He's a Republican President, I was a Democratic Governor. My fellow Democrats have been unkind to him... He's got a great fan in me and if you are asking what my party affiliation is, I'm a 'Trump-ocrat'"

Although Rod Blagojevich was one of the attendees supporting President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in 2024, he never specifically said that he is a Republican. At the convention, when speaking to NBC Chicago, he said:

"I think President Trump is the most demonized political figure in American history, and I know something about being demonized. I think he's a man of great courage and great strength."

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Why was Rod Blagojevich in prison?

Rod Blagojevich was an ex-Illinois governor charged with many counts of corruption, most notably selling Barack Obama's recently vacated United States Senate seat. He received a 14-year sentence, out of which he spent about eight years in prison before Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.

After his impeachment and ouster in 2009, Blagojevich was charged with 16 counts of felony, ultimately convicted on 17 counts in 2011 and sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.

Although the original convictions were overturned by a court in 2015, the original sentence was not cleared. His sentence was later commuted by President Donald Trump in 2020.

Since his release, Rod Blagojevich has been critical of the public justice system, referring to himself as a 'Trumpocrat' after being disbarred, unsuccessfully opposing a political legacy ban on himself. He launched a podcast called 'Lightning Rod' to express his opinions and experiences.

Dramatic highs and lows have marked Blagojevich's political journey, from serving as Illinois' Democratic governor to his conviction and eventual commutation by President Trump.

Rod Blagojevich has maintained his voice in public lore despite an avalanche of legal trouble. Albeit never penning himself as a Republican, his respect for Trump has been visible.