Disgraced former U.S. Representative George Santos is set to appear in the fifth season of Fox's reality competition series "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test." The show, which subjects participants to intense military-style challenges, is scheduled to premiere in September.
Santos, who represented New York in the House of Representatives from 2023 until his expulsion, will join a cast that includes former NBA player Matt Barnes and actor Ruby Rose. The series, described by Fox as "the ultimate test of physical, mental and emotional resilience," will feature participants enduring simulated chemical gassing and other demanding trials in a jungle environment in Malaysia.
"I took my fat behind off the coach and tried something new!," Santos wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, accompanied by a promotional image of himself. "And it changed EVERYTHING! I can’t wait to share this experience with y’all!"
Santos's brief tenure in Congress ended after revelations that he had fabricated significant portions of his personal and professional background. He faced federal charges related to campaign finance violations, defrauding donors, and collecting unemployment benefits fraudulently. He pleaded guilty but his prison sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump after he served approximately 84 days.
Following his release, Santos made an attempt to re-enter politics with a bid for the House of Representatives, but he withdrew from the race early on due to a lack of fundraising.
More recently, Santos became the subject of a report to federal authorities by the online prediction marketplace Kalshi. The platform alleged that Santos had bet against his own attendance at a State of the Union address, a claim Santos has called "preposterous." Another prediction platform, Polymarket, subsequently ended its paid association with him.
The challenges on "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" are designed to push participants to their limits, with network descriptions mentioning exercises such as navigating an underground bunker and retrieving supplies while suspended high above the ground.