Chasten Buttigieg Slams Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Over Viral Video

Chasten Buttigieg is still using his platform to call out the issues.

On Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made remarks at the University of South Florida. Of the remarks, what has gone viral is a short clip of DeSantis chiding a group of students who had been brought in to stand behind him in a photo opportunity for wearing masks.

"You do not have to wear those masks, please take them off," DeSantis told the gathered students, who were all wearing masks. "Honestly, it's not doing anything and we gotta stop with this [pandemic] theater. So, if you want to wear it fine, but this is ridiculous."

The comment led to looks of confusion on many of the students, and while a few removed their masks, many kept theirs on. As the talk continued, more began to remove their masks though some kept them on for the duration.

After being posted to social media, the clip has gone viral. Of those responding was Chasten Buttigieg, who has been a vocal critic of DeSantis and one of the leading critics of Florida's "don't say gay" bills. Buttigieg is arguably the reason those bills were brought to national prominence.

"He didn't care about the kids, he cared about the picture of himself with the kids," Buttigieg, who has developed a reputation for using his social media as a platform through which to make change, tweeted. "But hey, what do you expect from the guy who's best known right now for bullying kids?"

After the speech, DeSantis did not acknowledge the students behind him but instead quickly exited the podium.

The Florida legislature is currently pushing bills that are commonly known as the "don't say gay" bills. A version has passed in the Florida House and is waiting for a floor vote in the Senate. DeSantis has signaled support for the legislation though he has not committed to signing it.

Buttigieg has been vocal in his condemnation of the bills, saying they would lead to the deaths of LGBTQ+ youth.