Rubio’s Game Flights Reportedly Cost Over $1.2M

A Washington Post analysis found that Secretary of State Marco Rubio made 23 trips to Gainesville on government aircraft, including at least 10 trips to University of Florida football games where his son is a walk-on player; the State Department classified 15 trips as solely personal. The flights were estimated to have cost taxpayers more than $1.2 million, based on Defense Department aircraft rates, while officials traveling for personal reasons are required to reimburse only the equivalent of an economy-class fare. Rubio and the State Department declined to disclose how much he repaid, and Rubio said he would continue attending events important to his family. The department has defended the travel, citing security and operational needs, while ethics experts and former officials have questioned the stewardship of public funds and said Rubio’s personal use of government aircraft appears to exceed that of recent predecessors.