Vice President Joe Biden took hands-on politics to a creepy new level Tuesday by snuggling new Defense Secretary Ashton Carter’s wife from behind.

In a move straight out of the stalker handbook, Biden appeared to be sniffing Stephanie Carter’s hair at a swearing-in ceremony for her husband in Washington.

Biden, who kept his hands on Mrs. Carter’s shoulders for 10 seconds, looked as if he was whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

Hands folded in front of her, she gazed stiffly in the direction of her husband during the grope.

Critics took to Twitter to poke fun at the nation’s No. 1 “close-talker,” calling him clueless about personal space.

“If Joe Biden did this to my wife, she’d knock him out,” tweeted conservative author Brad Thor, while columnist Ben Shapiro joked, “This video is like Mike Tyson going for Evander Holyfield’s ear.”

Others simply wondered what was going on in the veep’s head, tweeting their best guess at his goofy inner monologue.

Biden may have thought he was comforting Mrs. Carter, who slipped on the ice near the Pentagon while accompanying her husband to his first day on the job.

The vice president was also called out for being too touchy-feely in January, when he tried to be affectionate with Maggie Coons, the young daughter of Sen. Chris Coons, while the Delaware Democrat was being sworn in.