Florida Republican Governor and 2024 presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis freaked social media users out after the way he licked his lips in a new NBC News interview prompted many to compare him to a snake.
DeSantis—who was once the subject of a Lincoln Project video for the same thing—was sitting next to Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds when he stuck out his tongue and licked his lips by flicking his tongue out in a manner not dissimilar to certain reptiles.
You can watch the moment in the video below.
The odd moment was quickly seized upon by his critics.
During his pre-campaign trail activities, where he was essentially campaigning without officially declaring his White House run, DeSantis faced accusations of being a "plastic" politician.
Interestingly, there appears to be a bipartisan consensus that DeSantis does not come off well when in the company of the average American voter, as noted by people who've worked with him on the campaign trail.
DeSantis has continued to face criticism amid concerns among Republican operatives about his apparent lack of social skills or personality.
According to the New York Times, the governor had to be reminded to maintain eye contact and shake hands during his visit to Iowa, further fueling the perception of a disconnect with everyday people.
DeSantis was widely mocked online over the summer after a Fox News interview he gave sparked immediate comparisons to Homelander, the unstable villain on the Prime Video series The Boys who employs a forced smile and calculated demeanor to shape public perception by proclaiming his excitement for others to meet the "real me."
Similarly, he found himself at the center of social media attention for his facial expressions during August's Republican presidential debate after he appeared to attempt a smile following an applause line, only to either abandon the attempt or struggle to execute it smoothly.
The third Republican Presidential debate takes place tonight, November 8.
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