DeSantis asks students in viral clip to take off masks, stop the 'Covid theater': 'This is ridiculous'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told a group of high school students to take off their face masks and stop engaging in "Covid theater" in a clip that went viral on social media.

"You do not have to wear those masks," the Florida Republican, who has been one of the nation’s most outspoken governors against mask and vaccine mandates, told students at the University of South Florida as he walked up to the podium to speak on Wednesday. 

"Please take them off," DeSantis continued. "Honestly, it's not doing anything. We've gotta stop with this Covid theater. So if you wanna wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous."