Marco Rubio Faces Backlash Over $1.2 Million Spent on Military Flights
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced intense criticism after an investigation revealed he spent over $1.2 million in taxpayer funds on military flights to watch his son play college football.
A major political controversy has erupted in the USA following an investigative report revealing that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spent more than $1.2 million of taxpayers' money on military flights to attend football games featuring his son, Anthony, at the University of Florida.
According to an investigation published by The Washington Post, Rubio frequently used military aircraft to travel to Gainesville, where his son plays as a walk-on for the Florida Gators football team, despite the player rarely seeing game action. The report indicated that Rubio attended at least 10 games over the past two seasons, including five this year. In total, the Secretary of State made 23 flights to Gainesville on military planes, with 15 of those trips classified as personal. Based on official Department of Defense operating rates, the flight costs alone exceeded $1.2 million.
Anthony Rubio, a senior at the university, has participated in only four official games throughout his entire college career, including two this season. According to ESPN data, he has accumulated a total of 75 yards on 14 rushing attempts, alongside one touchdown.
Defending his travel schedule, Rubio rejected the criticism and stated he has no intention of missing his son's games. "I have tried and will continue to try to attend as many events that are personally important to me and my family as possible," he told The Washington Post.
Under US security protocols, the Secretary of State is required to use government aircraft and is not permitted to fly commercially to ensure continuous access to secure communication channels. However, the investigation found that Rubio's frequency of personal travel significantly outpaces that of his predecessors. Antony Blinken, who served as Secretary of State under Joe Biden, used government aircraft for personal travel only a few times a year.
Critics have pointed to Rubio's past political statements, noting that while serving as a Republican senator for Florida, he demanded an investigation into Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg over the use of government planes for personal trips. "American taxpayers deserve an assurance that their hard-earned tax dollars are not being wasted by top administration officials," Rubio wrote at the time.
