Todd Chrisley Recalls Crying in Bed During Emotional First Night in Prison as Reality Set In: 'I Was So Angry With God'

Todd Chrisley had an emotional first few hours behind bars.

In a new episode of the “Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley” podcast, the reality star, 57, recalled what it was like spending his first night in prison in January 2023.

“It didn’t set in with me until that evening, that I realized that I wasn’t going to see [wife Julie Chrisley] again,” he recounted. “That was hard, that first night. And I was so angry with God. I remember when the lights went out, I laid there and I cried. And I said, ‘God, why have you forsaken me? What did I do in my life that warrants this? You know these things are not true, yet you allowed it to happen.’”

Todd — who served time at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in Florida — disclosed that when he went to sleep, God came to him in his dreams with a profound message.

“[He] said, ‘I have planted you where I need you, and when you leave, they will rise,’” the 57-year-old remembered. “I now understand what that dream meant.”

Julie — who stayed at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky — was also emotional during her first day in prison.

“I don’t think it hit me that we were leaving and not going to see each other, speak to each other for years potentially,” the mom, 53, started.

“We were still in shock,” Todd agreed. “You said, ‘Are you afraid?’ And I said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘No, God has taken that from me.’”

Savannah, 28, then pointed out how her parents didn’t want her to get out of the car to hug them goodbye.

“Because it was never goodbye for me. It was ‘see you later,’” the Chrisley family patriarch explained.

Todd and Julie were pardoned by Donald Trump for their bank and tax evasion crimes on May 27, 2025.

"It’s a terrible thing," President Trump told the Chrisley children at the time, "but it’s a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. Is that okay? We’ll try getting it done tomorrow. I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them well. Wish them a good life."

The POTUS, 79, further expressed, "They were given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing."

At a May 2025 press conference after he was released, Todd maintained he was innocent.

“Even though this pardon has happened, I still was convicted of something that I did not do,” he shared. “It could be you. It could be any of you.”

The Chrisley Knows Best alum said he would only “have remorse if it was something I did.”