‘Top Gun’ Ad From Ron DeSantis Goes Viral, But Not In The Way He Intended

It probably sounded like such a good idea when it was pitched: We’ll dress Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis up in fighter pilot gear, put him into a fighter jet, and call it “Top Gov.” Genius! Can’t fail!

Oh, but it has, and the fallout is making DeSantis look even more pathetic than he already was.

HuffPost reports:

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, this is your governor speaking. Today’s training evolution — dogfighting, taking on the corporate media,” DeSantis said while wearing a Tom Cruise-style leather jacket.

He then discusses how people should deal with those dreaded journalists who keep asking questions he doesn’t want to answer.

“The rules of engagement are as follows. No. 1: Don’t fire unless fired upon, but when they fire, you fire back with overwhelming force. … No. 2: Never, ever back down from a fight. … No. 3: Don’t accept their narrative.”

Throughout, the ad features clips of him refusing to answer media questions ― as though this were a positive thing.

The video has gone viral, but probably not in the way that DeSantis intended, because reaction on social media has been overwhelmingly negative, resulting in lots of mockery aimed directly at the Sunshine State governor.