Former Representative George Santos, once a rising star in Congress and later one of its most controversial figures, is back in the public eye just days after his release from prison. Santos, who was freed on Friday, October 17, 2025, following a commutation from President Trump, has wasted no time making headlines with his pointed criticism of the U.S. prison system, bold political predictions, and hints at personal plans for the future.
Appearing on Meghan McCain’s show “Citizen McCain” on Monday, Santos delivered an unusually candid assessment of his time behind bars and the state of American incarceration. “We are creating an environment of failure, so people are prone to make poor choices to survive, and then they’re thrown in prison and treated inhumanely,” Santos said, as reported by The Hill. He continued, “They don’t have a voice like I did. They don’t have the support system I had. So, that’s why I want to be that support system.”
Santos’s critique didn’t stop there. He argued that the way jails and prisons operate in the United States fundamentally undermines the possibility of rehabilitation. “I think we need to revisit how we do jail in this country, how we do prison. If we’re not going to put them in prison to reform them and reintegrate them back into the communities, we are creating monsters.” His words, echoing a growing national debate, have added fuel to ongoing discussions about prison reform and the purpose of incarceration in America.
Santos’s release came after serving just three months of his original seven-year sentence for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The former congressman, who represented parts of Long Island and Queens, had reported to prison over the summer of 2025. His conviction followed a dramatic fall from grace, which included being expelled from Congress in late 2023 amid revelations that he had fabricated significant portions of his resume and campaign finance records. The scandal, which captivated the political world, culminated in a plea deal that saw Santos admit guilt to multiple federal charges.
President Trump, who announced the commutation on his social media platform Truth Social, described Santos’s prison experience as unnecessarily harsh. “George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated,” Trump wrote. He concluded with a characteristic flourish: “Good luck George, have a great life!” The president’s decision to commute Santos’s sentence was met with both outrage and relief in political circles, depending on one’s partisan leanings, and has reignited debate over the use of presidential clemency powers.
For his part, Santos seems determined to use his newfound freedom to advocate for those he says are voiceless behind bars. “They don’t have a voice like I did. They don’t have the support system I had,” he reiterated on “Citizen McCain,” emphasizing his intention to support others who lack his resources and public profile. His remarks suggest a possible pivot toward activism, though critics remain skeptical given his checkered past.
But prison reform is not the only subject on Santos’s mind. In a flurry of post-release appearances, he returned to the spotlight with a mix of personal reflection and political commentary. Over the weekend, Santos appeared on Fox & Friends, where he spoke about reconnecting with his faith during his incarceration. According to New York Magazine, Santos said he “reconnected with God in prison,” a sentiment that marks a notable shift in his public persona. On CNN with Dana Bash, he was less repentant about his legal troubles, stating bluntly that he did not plan on paying restitution to his victims, but was instead “looking to the future.”
That future, it seems, may not include New York City. On Monday, Santos made waves by declaring that if Zohran Mamdani, a progressive candidate, wins the upcoming New York mayoral election, he plans to leave the city. “If Zohran Mamdani wins, I’ll flee the city,” Santos announced, warning that New York would become “a very dangerous place to live” under Mamdani’s leadership. This assertion, as New York Magazine pointed out, aligns Santos with former Governor Andrew Cuomo in their shared pessimism about the city’s trajectory should Mamdani prevail. The comment sparked immediate reactions across social media, with some critics dismissing it as fearmongering and others questioning whether Santos would follow through on his threat.
Amid the political drama, Santos also hinted at more personal ambitions. He spoke openly about his desire to “start growing my family,” suggesting that children may be in his near future. This isn’t the first time Santos has broached the topic—before his imprisonment, he told Ziwe on her talk show that he was looking forward to having children. The prospect of a “George Jr.” has prompted both speculation and skepticism, with observers unsure whether this is yet another chapter in Santos’s unpredictable saga or a genuine commitment to a new phase of life.
Santos’s relationship with the public has always been complex. A Queens native who once represented Long Island in Congress, he rose rapidly through the political ranks before his fabrications and legal troubles brought him crashing down. His expulsion from Congress in 2023 was a rare and dramatic event, underscoring the gravity of his offenses and the bipartisan consensus that he could not continue in office. In a characteristically theatrical social media post before reporting to prison, Santos wrote, “Well, darlings … The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been!”
Now, out of prison and back in the limelight, Santos is navigating a new reality—one where his words are scrutinized perhaps more than ever. His criticism of the prison system has already found resonance with advocates for reform, who argue that American incarceration too often prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation. Yet, his refusal to pay restitution and his threat to leave New York if political winds shift have drawn sharp rebukes from those who see him as unrepentant or opportunistic.
As Santos charts his next steps, questions abound. Will he become a voice for prison reform, as he now claims? Will he make good on his vow to leave New York if Mamdani wins? And what of his plans to start a family? With George Santos, surprises seem to come with the territory. For now, the only certainty is that, love him or loathe him, he remains impossible to ignore.