Former President Donald Trump faced audible boos from sections of the crowd on Friday when he singled out scandal-engulfed Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales during a major speech at the Port of Corpus Christi. Trump offered unexplained 'congratulations' to the lawmaker, who is mired in controversy over an alleged affair with a former staffer who later died by suicide.
Mixed Reaction Overshadows Energy Event
'Congressman Tony Gonzales is here!' Trump declared from the podium, with prominent Republican officials including Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick standing nearby. 'Tony, congratulations.' The remark prompted a decidedly mixed reaction, with noticeable jeers cutting through the scattered applause. Trump did not clarify what Gonzales was being congratulated for, leaving the cryptic comment hanging in the air.
The former president was in Texas primarily to highlight US energy production, joined by Energy Secretary Chris Wright. However, the brief aside directed at Gonzales—who is fighting intense calls from members of his own party to resign—quickly overshadowed the policy-focused nature of the event.
Deepening Scandal Involving Former Aide
Gonzales, a married father of six who has presented himself publicly as a family values candidate, has been under intense scrutiny following reports of an alleged affair with his former regional district director, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles. Santos-Aviles, a married mother of one, died in September 2025 after dousing herself in gasoline and setting herself on fire in her backyard. Her death was officially ruled a suicide.
The scandal has severely roiled Gonzales's reelection campaign as early voting in Texas's Republican primary gets underway. On Capitol Hill earlier this week, Gonzales struck a defiant tone when pressed by reporters. 'I will not resign. I work every day for the people of Texas. And there will be an opportunity for all the details and facts that come out. What you've seen is not all the facts,' Gonzales asserted.
Allegations, Text Messages, and Internal Scrutiny
The congressman has characterized the allegations as 'personal smears' and stated he will not be 'blackmailed,' a reference to Santos-Aviles's husband, Adrian Aviles, who is seeking financial damages. The controversy has deepened significantly in recent days with new revelations.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Santos-Aviles wrote to another staffer in April 2025, stating: 'I had an affair with our boss and I'm fine.' The outlet indicated this message surfaced amid growing internal scrutiny. Furthermore, a friend has alleged Gonzales had two trysts with the married aide in a cabin before her tragic suicide.
Adrian Aviles claims to possess a cache of text messages between his wife and Gonzales. 'I have all the messages that's shared between them two. And the things that – I just released a tip of the iceberg of the things that this man was telling her,' Aviles told CNN. Alleged text messages published include one where Gonzales asked Santos-Aviles to send him a 'sexy pic,' to which she initially replied: 'This is going too far, boss.'
Violations and Calls for Resignation
The House's code of conduct explicitly prohibits members from engaging in sexual relationships with employees in their offices. Gonzales is currently under review by the Office of Congressional Conduct over whether he violated this rule.
Several prominent Republicans have now publicly called on Gonzales to resign, including Representatives Chip Roy, Lauren Boebert, and Thomas Massie. Roy told The Hill, 'For the good of the country, good of the party and move forward, he should just step out of the race.'
House GOP Chair Lisa McClain told the Daily Mail: 'If it's true, it's extremely disgusting, let me just start with that. I do believe in law and order, I do believe in the rule of law, so let it play out, but my God, I hope it's not true.'
Gonzales is facing a tough primary challenge from gun rights influencer Brandon Herrera, whom he narrowly defeated by fewer than 400 votes in a 2024 runoff. With early voting now open, the political and personal fallout from this scandal continues to intensify.
