RHONJ star Teresa Giudice joins daughter Gia at White House event as Trump official gives update on deported ex Joe's pardon bid

Teresa Giudice joined her daughter Gia Giudice at the White House to celebrate Italian-American heritage on Friday for Columbus Day.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 54, and her eldest daughter, 25, were in Washington, DC, at the 'invitation' of President Donald Trump, 80, amid their plea for Trump to pardon the family's deported patriarch Joe, 54.

Trump's senior advisor Lynne Patton shared photos from the occasion and addressed a possible pardon for Giudice's Italian-born ex-husband, who lives in the Bahamas after being deported in 2019 following a 41-month prison sentence for fraud.

'For those inquiring @teresagiudice and her daughter, @_giagiudice, were at the White House at the invitation of the President & First Lady in honor of Columbus Day & Italian-American heritage,' she wrote.

'I have known Teresa and her family, including @joe.giudice, for nearly two decades. I've attended family gatherings at their former New Jersey homes where Joe taught me how to roll meatballs & Teresa’s beloved father once showed me how to make his famous homemade wine.'

'I am not in charge of pardons. Nor do I decide who receives them. That is the President’s sole decision based upon recommendations from the White House Pardon Czar, @alicemariefree, and White House Counsel,' she added.

'However, I will say this. I believe deeply in second chances. After all, the President and his family personally gave me one. Or ten.'

She went on to add: 'My faith in God compels me to believe that a father’s place is in the home. Statistics confirm the same. More importantly, so does the bible.' 

Patton went on to paraphrase the late right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, stating he 'often declared that the biblical role of the father to his child is to be their protector, both physically & spiritually. Quality time is everything. And no, it is never too late to be the provider who God intended every father to be.'

'Do I believe that Joe deserves a second chance? Unfortunately, it is not my place to decide. But what I do know is that one of his beautiful daughters desperately needs him now more than ever. And even God supports that,' she wrote at the end of her lengthy caption.

She appeared to be referring to the former couple's younger daughter Milania Giudice, 20, who has been publicly grappling with a difficult few months which included an airport confrontation with her family and the death of her longtime friend Victoria Zardoya.

On Monday, Milania explained that she has bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD and is currently seeking help at a treatment center.

Joe commented on Patton's post, writing, 'Your the best,' alongside four red-heart emojis.

Gia added, 'Thank you Lynn.' 

Giudice commented three red heart emojis on the post, before adding, 'We go way back.'

She also wrote 'Love you' in another comment. 

Giudice's current husband Louie Ruelas also chimed in, leaving a number of heart emojis.

Patton's photos included snaps of the mother-daughter duo at the White House, as well as throwback photos of Joe.

In August, Gia said she was 'still actively doing whatever' she can to get Trump to pardon her father.

'He's doing great. I'm actually going to see him on Tuesday. He's in the Bahamas,' she told FOX 5 New York. 'And you know, we just filed a humanitarian packet for him, just kind of trying to do everything we can to get him pardoned and hopefully come back, or even just on visitation.'

Gia continued: 'We're still actively working through that and trying everything we can. I mean, I think any family would want their dad home. Any daughter or child would want their father home.'

The aspiring attorney, who has a criminal justice degree from Rutgers University, was inspired by the pardoning of Todd and Julie Chrisley to begin actively seeking a pardon for Joe one year ago.

'Watching the Chrisley family receive a second chance inspired me. It showed me that people can be forgiven, that families can be restored and that sometimes the justice system has room for grace,' Gia said in her Instagram video. 

'That gave me hope. Hope that maybe my dad could come home, too.'

One month earlier, the boxer-turned-tour guide made his own plea to the Republican politician: 'I served my time, and I've been deported from the US for nearly a decade.'

'I was raised in Jersey, I'm a father of four amazing daughters, and I just want to be allowed to visit them again. President Trump, I respect you and I'm asking for a second chance.'

Aside from Gia and Milania, the former pair are also parents to daughters Gabriella, 22, and Audriana, 17. 

The tax-evading couple, who divorced in 2020, were originally sentenced in 2014 for bankruptcy fraud and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, while the Chrisleys were convicted of tax evasion, bank/wire fraud and obstruction of justice. 

Giudice served 11 months of a 15-month sentence in prison from January to December 2015. Joe later served 41 months before being deported.

Giudice filed for divorce after Joe's release and married Ruelas in 2022.