London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Feb 22, 2026

George Santos, newly elected New York Republican, accused of lying about being Jewish

George Santos, newly elected New York Republican, accused of lying about being Jewish

Santos, who was elected this past November, appears to have fabricated large swaths of his biography.
A New York Republican who this week was accused of fabricating large swaths of his biography may also have lied about his Jewish heritage, according to a report published Wednesday.

George Santos was elected this past November in a swing Long Island district, having campaigned as a veteran of Wall Street who ran a charity for animals. After he was elected he said he lost employees in the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting. On Monday, The New York Times published an investigation that poked holes in all those claims, among others.

Santos had also campaigned on his identity as an openly gay man of Brazilian heritage whose maternal grandparents were Jewish and who fled persecution in Europe during World War II. He also said that his mother was Jewish.

But while Santos can in fact trace his family tree back to Brazil, The Forward, a Jewish publication, found no evidence to support the claim any of his ancestors were Jewish. It reviewed genealogy websites that suggested his grandparents had indeed settled in Brazil years before World War II began. His mother, now deceased, also made no reference to her ostensible Jewish heritage on her Facebook page — instead, she "regularly shared posts with Catholic themes and images of Jesus," the publication said.

In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, called on Santos to address the latest controversy.

"These allegations, if true, are deeply troubling," Brooks said in the statement, as reported by Matthew Kassell of Jewish Insider. "Given their seriousness, the Congressman-elect owes the public an explanation, and we look forward to hearing it."

Santos has to date dismissed questions about this background, issuing a statement Tuesday night, attributed to his attorney, that characterized them as smears — without rebutting any of the specific allegations.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Weighs Removing Prince Andrew from Line of Succession After Arrest
Prince Andrew’s Arrest in UK Rekindles Scrutiny Over US Handling of Epstein Records
Trump’s Strategic Warning to UK Over Chagos Islands Deal Sparks Diplomatic Whiplash
Starmer Government Postpones Local Elections Affecting 4.5 Million Voters
UK Economy Remains Fragile Despite Recent Upturn in Headline Indicators
UK Businesses Face Fresh Uncertainty Following US Tariff Ruling
Reform UK’s Senior Figures Face Scrutiny Over Remarks on Women and Family Policy
UK Electric Vehicle Drive Threatened by Shortage of 44,000 Qualified Technicians
University of Kentucky Trustees Advance Academic Reforms and Approve Coliseum Plaza Purchase
Boris Johnson Calls for Immediate Deployment of UK Troops to Support Ukraine
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praises the rapid progress of Chinese tech companies.
North Korea's capital experiences a significant construction boom with the development of a new city district dubbed 'Pyonghattan'.
New electric vehicle charging service eliminates waiting times
Vox Populi confronts Justin Trudeau at Davos over vaccination policies
Poland's President Karol Nawrocki ENDS support for Ukrainian citizens:
The mayor of Rotherham in Britain
One day after ex-Prince Andrew's arrest, British police are searching his former home, while U.K. lawmakers will consider introducing legislation to remove him from the line of royal succession
Vandana Shiva reminding the world that Bill Gates did not invent anything.
Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni highlights record employment and economic growth
UK Confirms Preferential U.S. Trading Terms Will Continue After Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
U.S. and U.K. to Hold Talks on Diego Garcia as Iran Objects to Potential Military Use
UK Officials Weigh Possible Changes to Prince Andrew’s Position in Line of Succession Amid Ongoing Scrutiny
British Police Probe Epstein’s UK Airport Links and Expand High-Profile Inquiries
The Impact of U.S. Sanctions on Cuba's Humanitarian Crisis: A Tightening Noose
Trump Directs Government to Release UFO and Alien Information
Trump Signs Global 10% Tariffs on Imports
United Kingdom Denies U.S. Access to Military Base for Potential Iran Strike
British Co-founder of ASOS falls to his death from Pattaya apartment
Early 2026 Data Suggests Tentative Recovery for UK Businesses and Households
UK Introduces Digital-First Passport Rules for Dual Citizens in Border Control Overhaul
Unable to Access Live Financial Data for January UK Surplus Report
UK Government Considers Law to Remove Prince Andrew from Royal Line of Succession
UK ‘Working Closely with US’ to Assess Impact of Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
Trump Criticises UK Decision to Restrict Use of Bases in Potential Iran Strike Scenario
UK Foreign Secretary and U.S. State Chief Hold Strategic Talks as Tensions Rise Over Joint Air Base
Two teens arrested in France for alleged terror plot.
Nordic Fracture: How Criminal Scandals and Toxic Ties are Dismantling the Norwegian Crown
US Supreme Court Voids Trump’s Emergency Tariff Plan, Reshaping Trade Power and Fiscal Risk
King Charles III Opens London Fashion Week as Royal Family Faces Fresh Scrutiny
Trump’s Evolving Stance on UK Chagos Islands Deal Draws Renewed Scrutiny
House Democrat Says Former UK Ambassador Unable to Testify in Congressional Epstein Inquiry
No Record of Prince Andrew Arrest in UK as Claims Circulate Online
UK Has Not Granted US Approval to Launch Iran Strikes from RAF Bases, Government Confirms
AI Pricing Pressure Mounts as Chinese Models Undercut US Rivals and Margin Risks Grow
Global Counsel, Advisory Firm Co-Founded by Lord Mandelson, Enters Administration After Client Exodus
London High Court dispute over Ricardo Salinas’s $400mn Elektra share-backed bitcoin loan
UK Intensifies Efforts to Secure Saudi Investment in Next-Generation Fighter Jet Programme
Former Student Files Civil Claim Against UK Authorities After Rape Charges Against Peers Are Dropped
Archer Aviation Chooses Bristol for New UK Engineering Hub to Drive Electric Air Taxi Expansion
UK Sees Surge in Medical Device Testing as Government Pushes Global Competitiveness
×