Marco Rubio allegedly spends over $1.2m of taxpayer money flying to his son’s football games. Then records show how often the son actually played
A question of optics?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is facing scrutiny over his travel habits after a Washington Post report emerged that he has spent over $1.2 million in taxpayer money flying to see his son play football. According to The Guardian, these trips involve using military aircraft to travel between Washington D.C. and Gainesville, Florida. Ethics watchdogs are now looking closely at whether this level of spending is necessary for a government official.
One of the more recent trips took place on November 7, 2026. Rubio arrived in Gainesville on an Air Force C-37, which is a plane often used for VIP transport. He was spotted on the sidelines as the Gators lost 23-7 to Oklahoma. His son, Anthony Rubio, is a senior and a walk-on running back for the team.
Statistics show that Anthony has played in only four competitive games over the course of his four years at the university. Two of those appearances happened during this current season. According to ESPN, his college career stats include 14 carries for 75 yards and one touchdown. He did not play during the game on November 7.
The investigation found that Rubio attended at least 10 games across the last two seasons
Rubio reportedly made 23 total trips to Gainesville on military planes, and 15 of those were personal. The Secretary of State is barred from flying on commercial airlines for security reasons. This protocol also applies to the Secretary of Defense and the directors of the FBI and CIA.
While these officials are required to use military transport, they must reimburse the government for the equivalent of an economy-fare ticket for any personal travel. However, those reimbursements cover only a small fraction of the actual cost of operating these military aircraft. Using defense department data on flight costs per hour, the total expense for these specific journeys reached over $1.2 million.
Rubio provided a statement regarding his travel, saying, “I have and will continue to try and make it to as many events that are important to me personally and to my family as possible.” He remains firm in his position. His office says he is entirely unapologetic about these trips. He plans to keep attending his family events as his job allows. This includes finishing out his son’s final year of college football.
The situation has drawn comparisons to past officials
For instance, Antony Blinken, who served as Secretary of State under Joe Biden, reportedly took personal trips on government planes only a couple of times each year. Another official, Pete Buttigieg, faced an internal audit regarding his use of government jets. That investigation followed a complaint filed by Rubio himself when he was a senator. The inspector general eventually cleared Buttigieg of any wrongdoing. He had taken eight trips at a total cost of $59,000.
Fox News reports that Dylan Johnson, Assistant Secretary of State, posted on X to defend the current secretary. He argued that comparing Rubio to Buttigieg is “moronic.” Johnson explained that the secretary of state is required to use military aircraft to maintain access to secure communications at all times.
He added that the secretary must comply with the continuity of government protocols. Johnson noted that the transportation secretary is not a required user of military aircraft. He also stated that Rubio will continue to reimburse the government for all personal travel.
Cynthia Brown, a senior ethics counsel at the nonpartisan watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, spoke on the matter. She stated that Rubio’s travel appeared “more of an optics issue than a violation.” She noted that the situation merits further scrutiny.
Brown suggested that it is important to shine a light on whether this travel undermines the integrity of public service. She also pointed out that while the travel might not be technically improper, Rubio acts as the sole arbiter of how often he travels.
The report sparked various reactions on social media
Former White House press advisor Pat Adams wrote that the paper is trying to create a scandal out of a father attending his son’s games. He noted that the paper admits Rubio is required to use government planes and that his trips comply with federal rules. Karoline Leavitt, a former White House press secretary, also shared her thoughts on X. She wrote, “Washington Post confirms Secretary Rubio is a great dad.”
The practice of senior officials using government planes for occasional personal travel has been common for a long time. It actually became a requirement in 1993. Despite the controversy, Rubio maintains that he is simply balancing his duties with his family life. The State Department has declined further comment on the specifics of the investigation.
Officials continue to emphasize that the security protocols surrounding the Secretary of State leave little room for other travel options.
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