Former Rep. George Santos announced Wednesday that he and his husband, Matheus "Matt" Gerard, are expecting to become parents next year, a personal milestone for the 37-year-old former congressman whose brief and turbulent time in Washington ended with his expulsion from the House.
Santos made the disclosure on the "Citizen McCain" podcast, telling the host the couple is deep into preparations for the arrival.
The New York Post reported that Santos did not share details about when he will officially become a father or how many children the couple expects. What he did share was a window into how he and Gerard are thinking about raising kids, and why the prospect weighs on him more than it might for most new parents.
Santos told the podcast:
"We are having kids next year, and that's a big deal for us. We're excited about all the preparations of making sure we have everything set up. And, you know, college funds and, I mean, rainy day fund, like, all of that stuff."
The conversation turned to the safety of children in schools and summer programs. Santos recounted being sent to summer day camp in Nantucket as a child. He said he was sexually assaulted by a gym teacher at a New York City public school, an experience he described as shaping his thinking about where his own children will be educated.
Santos said on the podcast:
"Unfortunately, I like the trust in the professionals that are hired to take care of our kids, and having been a victim of sexual assault by a gym teacher in a New York City public school, I'm at a point where I don't want my kids to be exposed."
He added that the fear of failing to protect a child from similar harm haunts him. Santos stated he would be "mortified" if, through a lack of awareness, his child became a victim. That concern, he said, is pushing the couple toward private education.
"We're probably going to start sending our kids to some sort of private school where there's an abundance of oversight."
At the same time, Santos said he does not want to homeschool. He values social interaction for children and acknowledged the tension between safety and socialization. "I don't want to homeschool my kids because I believe in social interactions," he said. "It's tough, it's really tough."
Santos's personal announcement arrives against a backdrop that would test any public figure's appetite for the spotlight. He served in Congress for less than a year in 2023 before becoming the sixth House representative ever expelled, losing his seat over identity theft, wire fraud, and other ethics concerns. The Republican caucus he briefly joined has faced its own internal turbulence since, with primary season threatening an already razor-thin majority.
The following year, Santos pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud. A federal judge sentenced him to 87 months behind bars.
President Trump commuted Santos's sentence last fall, allowing the former Long Island congressman to resume life outside prison. The commutation itself drew attention to the broader pattern of unexpected developments within Republican circles that have kept the party in the headlines for reasons beyond policy.
Santos said he wants to "accept my kid in any way, shape or form they come." It is a sentiment most parents share. Whether the public extends the same openness to Santos himself is another question entirely.
Santos left significant gaps in his announcement. He did not say how the couple plans to have children, whether through surrogacy, adoption, or another arrangement. He offered no specific timeline beyond "next year." And he did not address how his criminal record or public notoriety might affect the process.
Those are fair questions, and they will follow Santos whether he answers them or not. The House seat he once held on Long Island has since become part of the broader fight over congressional control, with Democrats waging aggressive redistricting campaigns to flip Republican-held districts.
Santos, for his part, seems focused on a different chapter. The man who fabricated large portions of his résumé, pleaded guilty to federal crimes, and was expelled from the people's House now says he is preparing college funds and researching private schools.
The GOP's ongoing internal fractures over leadership and strategy have largely moved past the Santos saga. His former colleagues have other headaches. Santos, apparently, has new ones of his own, the kind that come with cribs, tuition bills, and the weight of wanting to do better for the next generation than the world did for you.
Every parent deserves a shot at getting it right. Whether Santos has earned the public's goodwill is a separate matter, but the kid, whoever that child turns out to be, hasn't done anything wrong yet. That much, at least, is a clean slate.