Secretary of State Marco Rubio was photographed wearing a gray Nike Tech fleece tracksuit aboard Air Force One, photos posted to X by White House communications director Steven Cheung showed.
The images surfaced as Rubio traveled with President Donald Trump on a trip to China, a trip officials said would focus on trade and national security. The casual outfit was a notable departure from the formal attire often seen on senior U.S. officials during official travel.
Social media users quickly compared Rubio’s look to the so-called “Venezuela Nike Tech” meme that circulated earlier this year after images of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro wearing a similar tracksuit spread online, according to posts on X.
Users on X posted jokes and edited images after the photos surfaced. “Is Marco going to be the DJ for the flight?” one X user wrote. Another viral post labeled Rubio “Nicolás Maduro as Marco Rubio.” Videos shared by White House officials earlier this month also showed Rubio DJing at a family wedding, further fueling the viral attention.
Nike Tech fleece tracksuits have surged in online popularity in recent months, and Rubio’s off-duty look aboard Air Force One provided a behind-the-scenes moment that quickly became another social media talking point, according to posts on X and other platforms.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
