While Gaetz reaffirmed his support for former President Donald Trump and criticized President Joe Biden on Wednesday, July 17, spectators were more intrigued by his physical appearance than his political commentary.
One critic on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared several images to make a stark comparison, stating, "Matt Gaetz somehow simultaneously looks like Spock from the original Star Trek and Nicolas Cage from Longlegs ."
"He looks like Beavis and Butthead ," another added.
A third user joked, "When the plastic surgeon tells you he has a fridge full of Botox that’s about to expire."
Just a day prior, Gaetz had a contrasting appearance at the convention, with a visibly different facial structure. The comparison between his Tuesday, July 16, and Wednesday, July 17, looks fueled further speculation and commentary on his sudden transformation.
In addition to his physical appearance, Gaetz's stance on certain social issues also faced criticism.
Some used his appearance at the convention to highlight his controversial views on transgender policies and opposition to drag shows and gender-affirming care, adding another layer to the public discourse surrounding the congressman.
Gaetz's involvement in internal party matters came to light during an interview with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy . The Florida congressman interrupted the interview by yelling at the former speaker and telling him he would be "booed off the stage" if he spoke at the convention.
Allegations of misconduct and ethical violations were later brought up during the interview, with McCarthy mentioning an ethics complaint against Gaetz .
The congressman is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for accusations related to sexual misconduct with a minor and drug use .
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Gaetz has vehemently denied the allegations of having a relationship with an underage girl and claimed that the investigation was all part of an extortion scheme to take him down.
The Justice Department began to investigate the alleged relationship in 2020.
The New York Times originally reported that Gaetz allegedly had a relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him, which may constitute a violation of federal sex trafficking laws.
In an interview with Tucker Carlson , Gaetz said that former DOJ employee David McGee , now a lawyer at Florida firm Beggs & Lane, was looking for money in exchange for helping conceal the DOJ investigation.
"There was a demand for money in exchange for a commitment that he could make this investigation go away along with his co-conspirators," Gaetz told Carlson on Fox News.
What people do cosmetically is their own business. It has nothing to do with their political beliefs. That’s what people need to be 👀 looking at. Not if someone has had Botox or if they are ugly! Personally, I think he looks a lot like a young Jack Nicholson
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