George Santos, the disgraced former congressman who once served New York’s 3rd congressional district, is taking his next step in the post-political world: reality television. Fox announced Wednesday that Santos will compete on the fifth season of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” a grueling physical competition show set to premiere in September.
The announcement marks another curious turn in Santos’ increasingly unconventional life trajectory. In recent years alone, he has served as a congressman, been expelled from the House, spent time in federal prison, hosted a podcast, worked as an online betting influencer and faced investigation by federal authorities for his gambling activities. Now, he will join more than a dozen other contestants in attempting to survive demanding military-style training exercises.
Santos himself announced the news with characteristic flair on X, writing that he “took my fat behind off the coach and tried something new” and declaring that the experience “changed EVERYTHING.” The post included a promotional image of Santos with a stern expression standing next to a tree. “I can’t wait to share this experience with y’all!” he added.
On the show, Santos will compete alongside former NBA player Matt Barnes and actor Ruby Rose, among other contestants. Fox has billed the competition as “the ultimate test of physical, mental and emotional resilience,” and the network noted that participants will face chemical gassing and other military-themed challenges in a Malaysian jungle setting. The show’s obstacles are designed to replicate elements of the actual United States Special Forces selection process and include claustrophobic underground bunker searches and supply retrieval while suspended high above the jungle floor.
Santos’ path to the reality television stage has been marked by multiple controversies and legal troubles. He was sentenced in April 2025 to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, crimes stemming from his 2022 congressional campaign. The conviction followed his guilty plea in August 2024 to charges that he deceived donors and stole the identities of nearly a dozen people, including family members, to fund his winning campaign. He was ordered to pay more than $370,000 in restitution to his victims. The judge gave him until July 2025 to surrender, but his sentence has since been commuted. Reports indicate he has served approximately 84 days of his seven-year prison sentence.
His time in Congress was brief but spectacular in its scandal. Santos was elected in 2022 but expelled by his House colleagues in late 2023 after an ethics investigation uncovered not only the financial crimes but also revelations that he had fabricated significant portions of his personal history. He had claimed Jewish ancestry, prestigious Wall Street career experience and a valuable real estate portfolio, among other fabrications. The House Ethics Committee released a damning report documenting what it called his “uncharged and unlawful conduct,” leading to his expulsion with a two-thirds chamber vote.
Since his release, Santos has attempted to maintain a public profile. Last month, an online prediction marketplace called Kalshi reported him to federal authorities after he allegedly boasted about attending President Trump’s State of the Union address and then bet against his own attendance. That incident led the platform Polymarket, where he was working in an influencer capacity, to terminate its paid relationship with him. Santos has characterized the allegations as “preposterous.”
The decision to cast Santos on a prime-time Fox reality show continues a trend of the network featuring controversial public figures on its programming. “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” has already drawn criticism and praise for its casting choices over its previous four seasons, ranging from actors to athletes to other public personalities seeking to test themselves against extreme physical and mental challenges. The show’s format requires contestants to either voluntarily quit, fail the training, or be removed by the show’s directing staff—an elite team of former Special Forces operatives who lead the exercises.
Whether Santos will complete the grueling training course remains to be seen, but his participation guarantees that when the season airs in September, it will generate significant attention and likely spark continued debate about his rehabilitation and place in American public life.