A video shared on Twitter purports to show Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis stating voters “will have no choice but to accept [him] as their assigned candidate” following former President Donald Trump’s recent indictment.

Now that there’s a #TrumpIndictment, Ron DeSantis has a message for you. pic.twitter.com/S3y5slQXCK

— Ramble_Rants (@ramble_rants) March 31, 2023

Verdict: False

The claim is false. A spokesperson for DeSantis’ office denied the authenticity of the video.

Fact Check:

DeSantis will make his first public appearance in South Carolina Apr. 19, according to The Associated Press. The proposed visit is continuing to fuel speculation that he will launch a presidential bid for the 2024 election, The Hill reported.

The Twitter video purports to show DeSantis saying the people “will have no choice but to accept [him] as their assigned candidate” following Trump’s recent indictment. “And finally we can sweep the GOP establishment back into power. Hail Hydra,” DeSantis appears to continue.

The claim is false. There are no credible news reports indicating DeSantis made the purported remark. Likewise, there is no mention of the claim on the Republican governor’s website or his verified social media accounts. In addition, Trump has not referenced the purported remark via his TRUTH Social account.

The video, which was originally shared to TikTok, appears to be a deepfake, according to Politifact. Indicators that the video is a deepfake include “mouth movements that look digitally edited and audio that does not sync with DeSantis’ lip movement,” the outlet reported.

Furthermore, the phrase “Hail Hydra” is a reference to a criminal organization in the Marvel Comics franchise. The organization “has historically been used as an allegory for the Nazi Party,” according to a research paper from the University of Puget Sound.

“This appears to be an AI-generated video,” a spokesperson for DeSantis’ office denied the authenticity of the video in an email to Check Your Fact. (RELATED: Did Trump Release A Statement Calling DeSantis A ‘RINO?’)

Although there is much speculation about DeSantis’ political aspirations, he has not officially announced a 2024 presidential bid.

This is not the first time false information about DeSantis has circulated on social media. Check Your Fact has recently debunked a claim suggesting the Florida governor was denied entry into Guantanamo Bay.