‘Special Forces’: George Santos Claims He Was ‘Overcharged’ & Says He’s ‘Grateful’ for Trump

Alyssa Norwin September 24, 2026, 10:30 pm

What To Know

George Santos’ past legal issues were addressed on the premiere of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
The former politician answered questions from the Directing Staff about his prison sentence and the lies he told to get his congressional seat.
He also thanked Donald Trump for commuting his prison sentence.

The topic of George Santos‘ past legal issues came up quickly during the Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test premiere on September 24.

“George was in the House of Representatives all based on fraudulent lies,” Oliver Hudson told a group of the recruits, noting that the former U.S. Representative for New York’s 3rd Congressional District spent “80-something days in prison” before his sentence was commuted by Donald Trump in October 2025.

Santos was quickly targeted by the Directing Staff (DS) as he struggled to complete missions and arrive in a prompt fashion when called on. He was pulled in for tactical questioning, where Jovon “Q” Quarles pointed out, “Some of the things you were convicted of … wire fraud, money laundering, identity theft, stolen funds you used for personal things [like] OnlyFans, Botox…”

Upon hearing the charges previously brought against him, Santos responded, “I didn’t steal any money. I misappropriated funds.” Q also wondered, “You told a story your mother was in the Twin Towers?”

Santos once again hit back, telling the DS, “That’s not accurate. I’ve already disproven that.” But the Staff did not let up. Q continued, “You lied about your family heritage, your degrees, your employers, your whole identity.”

Pete Dadds/Fox

The former politician said he “made a choice,” and admitted, “At one point, I wanted to get caught because it was just so much to carry a lie. Once you tell a lie, one lie, you tell a second and a third. I wanted more. I am first generation born American, son of two immigrants, one who cleaned toilets and the other who painted walls their entire lives. My ambition led me to wanting more.”

The Staff urged Santos to “own” his lies, and Q wondered if he felt he paid his dues for the charges against him. Santos got defensive, insisting, “I think I was overcharged by an overzealous court. I will forever be grateful to President Trump for giving me a second chance to go back to my family.”

Although Santos complained about back pain, which he said was giving him “limitations” on the course, Q urged him to push through it, while Mark “Billy” Billinghham told him they were going to choose to trust him as a recruit on their team.

“I guess everything I say sounds like excuses. I can’t change that,” Santos said in a confessional. “I cannot change that perception. I answer the same questions over and over to nauseam. I am trying to prove to people that I am speaking the truth.”

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In 2024, Santos pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft after he was accused of faking his personal and professional story to earn his congressional seat. Per the Department of Justice, his guilty plea meant he admitted he “filed fraudulent FEC reports, embezzled funds from campaign donors, charged credit cards without authorization, stole identities, obtained unemployment benefits through fraud, and lied in reports to the House of Representatives.”

He received his 87-month prison sentence in April 2025 and began serving that July. He was behind bars for less than three months when Trump commuted his sentence.