The passing of veteran California Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein Friday has led to an unexpected social media storm surrounding out embattled Republican U.S. Rep. George Santos of New York, who casually mentioned his “husband Matt” in a tribute tweet to the late senator.
The disclosure caught the internet off guard, spawning a flurry of humorous and bemused reactions since many had no idea the lawmaker was married.
“My husband Matt and I are heartbroken by the news of the passing of Senator Feinstein,” Santos posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Sen. Feinstein was a trailblazer who dedicated over 30 years of service to her country. Our condolences to the Feinstein family as they grieve this grave loss.”
The unexpected mention of a husband, amid a tribute to a revered political figure, sparked a slew of skeptical online remarks, and many users joked that it was a “hard launch” of the marriage.
Democratic strategist Tim Hogan joined the online banter with a post on X. “Did george santos just hard launch his husband … with the passing of senator feinstein?” he wrote.
Related: Lawmakers Pay Tribute to Dianne Feinstein’s Life
Another X user humorously noted the coincidental marriage reveal amid the solemn occasion.
“I’m at the Dianne Feinstein memorial service. I’m at the George Santos husband reveal. I’m at the combination Dianne Feinstein memorial and George Santos husband reveal,” they wrote.
I\u2019m at the Dianne Feinstein memorial service. I\u2019m at the George santos husband reveal. I\u2019m at the combination Dianne Feinstein memorial and George santos husband reveal— Brendan (@Brendan) 1696009334
“Using a US Senator’s death to hard launch your secret husband is somehow the gayest thing George Santos has ever done,” Kendall Brown tweeted. “10/10, incredible work.”
The confusion escalated as social media users and news outlets scoured for any prior mention of Santos’s spouse, with many coming up short. The Wrap couldn't find previous comments, the site reports, but notes The Messengerdid find references to his husband. The intrigue surrounding Santos’ marital status was further amplified given his past entanglements with truthfulness on personal and professional fronts.
The online chatter prompted Santos to engage in the early hours of Monday, posting a photograph with Matheus Gerard, identified as his husband, Matt.
In November 2020, Brazilian news outlet piauí reported that Gerard, then 24, was born in Brazil, and they lived together in a Queens home.
At just before 2:30 a.m., alongside the image, Santos wrote, “For those wondering and going nuts, this is Matt, my husband since Nov 2021… I’m not sure where all the “hard launch” comments came from.”
For those wondering and going nuts, this is Matt my husband since Nov 2021\u2026 I\u2019m not sure where all the \u201chard launch\u201d comments came from.\n\nOr maybe it\u2019s just that people are starting to understand they got played by the media with all the nonsense they wrote about me?\u2026— George Santos (@George Santos) 1696228112
Santos continued, “Or maybe it’s just that people are starting to understand they got played by the media with all the nonsense they wrote about me? Nonetheless, have a fantastic time pretending the media depiction of me is correct.” The photograph was taken during a new member orientation at Statuary Hall in November 2022.
Santos previously referred to his then-fiancé in a tweet in January 2021, claiming that Gerard had been fired from his job as a pharmacist. The piauí piece also identified Gerard as a pharmacist.
However, that piece also falsely reported several elements of Santos’s education and work history, which the Republican acknowledged later were lies.
A review of New York and New Jersey pharmacy licenses by The Advocate showed no pharmacists or pharmacy technicians licensed under that name.
Santos is currently facing a number of criminal charges. He's been charged with three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of materially false statements to Congress.
Santos was previously married to a woman while he was apparently engaged to his husband – a marriage he denies was a sham.
