Santos, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, introduced several pieces of legislation, including a bill that would cut federal funding to countries that persecute LGBTQ people. He also sparked controversy in April with the introduction of the Medical Information Nuanced Accountability Judgment Act, which would ban the government from mandating certain vaccines. The legislation’s acronym, MINAJ, is believed to have been a reference to singer Nicki Minaj, who in 2021 claimed her cousin’s friend had become impotent and suffered swollen testicles after taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
Santos has suffered a string of controversies since his election to the US House of Representatives in 2020. An investigation by The New York Times revealed that he had greatly exaggerated his work experience and educational background, and claimed to have represented Puerto Rican volleyball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In fact, Puerto Rico did not field a team, nor was Santos part of the country’s volleyball programme.