Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., appeared on TMZ recently while experiencing the effects of a recent Botox treatment, explaining that her face had not yet fully settled on one side.
"I don’t wanna be on camera this week and I’ve been on camera more than any other week," Boebert told the celebrity news outlet. "I’m talking out of the side of my mouth like a damn politician cause my Botox hasn’t caught up on this side." She indicated that the effects might subside within a couple of days.
Boebert stated that she was compelled to speak on camera despite her discomfort because she was angered by being excluded from a House vote on the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed with $1.1 trillion in funding. She indicated she would have opposed the bill due to a provision involving a technology exchange with Israel. According to Boebert, she was informed the vote would remain open pending a call from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding the Israel provision, but the vote was closed before she could cast her ballot.
"So now I’m forced to talk to TMZ while I do have an issue that we talked about off-record," she said, referencing her Botox treatment.
A 2024 Wall Street Journal article noted a rise in cosmetic dermatology in Washington, D.C., coinciding with increased scrutiny of officials' age and appearance. The newspaper described it as "unheard of" for a politician to admit to using Botox. D.C.-area dermatologist Dr. Terrence Keaney told The Wall Street Journal that such treatments are considered luxury items and may appeal to voters of all socioeconomic statuses, which could contribute to politicians' reluctance to admit to using them.