During a speech at the Port of Corpus Christi on Friday, former President Donald Trump faced audible boos when he acknowledged Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales, who is currently embroiled in controversy.
Trump extended unspecified “congratulations” to Gonzales, who has been at the center of a scandal involving an alleged affair with a staff member who later tragically died by suicide.
“Congressman Tony Gonzales is here!” Trump announced from the stage, surrounded by fellow Republican leaders. “Tony, congratulations.”
The announcement prompted a mixed response from the audience, with boos clearly audible amidst the applause.
Trump did not provide any further details on the reason behind his congratulatory comment to Gonzales.
The former president visited Texas to emphasize the importance of U.S. energy production and was joined by Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
But the brief aside to Gonzales, who is fighting calls from members of his own party to resign, quickly overshadowed the policy-focused event.
Gonzales, a married father of six, has been under intense scrutiny following reports of an alleged affair with his former regional district director, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles.
President Donald Trump gave Rep. Tony Gonzales a public shoutout during a speech at the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas prompting boos from some members of the crowd
Congressman Tony Gonzales of Texas is facing scrutiny over an alleged affair with his former aide, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles
Regina Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire; her death was ruled a suicide
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 ruled a suicide.
The scandal has roiled Gonzales’s reelection campaign as early voting in Texas’s Republican primary gets underway.
Earlier this week on Capitol Hill, 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 said.
He has also said the allegations amount to ‘personal smears’ and that he will not be ‘blackmailed’ as Santos-Aviles’s husband seeks financial damages.
But the controversy has deepened in recent days.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Santos-Aviles wrote to another staffer in April 2025: ‘I had an affair with our boss and I’m fine.’
The outlet said the message surfaced amid growing internal scrutiny.
Congressman Tony Gonzales, pictured in a campaign photo with his wife and six kids presenting himself as a family man had two trysts in a cabin with a married aide before her suicide, a friend has alleged
Aviles is survived by her husband, Adrian, and their eight-year-old son. Her obituary described her as ‘a devoted mother, a loving daughter, sister, and wife and a loyal friend’
Santos-Aviles’s husband, Adrian Aviles, claims to possess a cache of text messages between his wife and Gonzales.
‘The man has no values. He runs his whole campaign on family values, and he runs everything saying that he’s some family man. He’s actually quite a sick man,’ Aviles said to CNN.
‘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. I released just what was enough information for the people to understand who this person is and who they’re dealing with.’
Alleged text messages were also published in which Gonzales asked Santos-Aviles to send him a ‘sexy pic.’ She initially replied: ‘This is going too far, boss.’
The House’s code of conduct prohibits members from engaging in sexual relationships with employees in their offices.
Gonzales has been under review by the Office of Congressional Conduct over whether he violated the rule.
Several Republicans have publicly called on Gonzales to resign, including Reps. 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 primary challenge from gun rights influencer Brandon Herrera, whom he narrowly defeated by fewer than 400 votes in a 2024 runoff. Early voting opened February 17.
