Marco Rubio Under Fire Over $1.2Million Football Flights After Insisting Taxpayer Money Must Not Be 'Wasted'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is facing scrutiny after a new investigation revealed that government aircraft used for his trips to watch his son play college football carried an estimated price tag of more than $1.2 million.

According to a November 11 investigation by The Washington Post, Rubio made at least 23 trips to Gainesville, Florida, since taking office in 2025.

The State Department classified 15 of those journeys as exclusively personal, while seven involved a combination of personal and official business.

The findings have renewed questions about Rubio's judgment, particularly given his previous demands for accountability over another government official's aircraft use.

Although federal rules require him to travel on government aircraft for security reasons, the estimated operating costs have prompted ethics experts to question how frequently he has used the privilege for family visits.

The investigation found that Rubio attended at least 10 University of Florida Gators football games over the past two seasons, including at least five during fall 2026.

His son, Anthony Rubio, is a senior running back for the university's football team, having joined the Gators as a preferred walk-on in 2023.

Using published Defense Department hourly aircraft rates, the newspaper calculated that the 15 trips classified as personal carried an estimated cost of approximately $770,600.

The seven journeys combining official and personal business added another $443,900, putting the estimated total above $1.2 million.

Rubio primarily travelled aboard Gulfstream C-37A and C-37B aircraft, which cost approximately $9,100 per flight hour. Three journeys involved larger Boeing C-32A aircraft, with hourly rates of around $18,600.

However, the $1.2 million figure represents the estimated cost of operating the aircraft, not the amount Rubio is personally required to repay.

Federal rules require senior officials in certain national security positions to use government aircraft, including for personal travel, but they must reimburse the government for the equivalent cost of an economy-class commercial ticket.

The Post estimated that Rubio's reimbursement for the game-related journeys would amount to approximately $18,000. Neither he nor the State Department disclosed how much he had actually repaid.

Responding to questions from the newspaper, Rubio defended his decision to attend family events, making clear that he intends to continue prioritizing important occasions involving his loved ones.

"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 said.

Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson also defended the travel arrangements, explaining that military aircraft allow Rubio to "ensure continuity of operations, continuity of government and access to secure communications at all times."

Johnson added that the secretary would continue using government aircraft.

The security requirements are important context for the controversy. Rubio is not free to choose commercial flights for these journeys.

The latest findings have also brought renewed attention to Rubio's criticism of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's use of government aircraft.

In December 2022, Rubio requested an investigation into Buttigieg's travel, arguing that taxpayers deserved greater accountability from senior officials.

"American taxpayers deserve assurances that their tax dollars are not wasted by the government's highest officials," Rubio wrote.

He also stated, "I am committed to both holding Secretary Buttigieg accountable for any fraudulent use of government aircraft, and ensuring compliance with DOT policies and procedures."

The Transportation Department's inspector general subsequently reviewed aircraft use by Buttigieg and his predecessor, Elaine Chao. Its December 2023 findings concluded that both officials had followed the applicable federal regulations and department procedures.

The review covered eight trips by Buttigieg, with aircraft costs totaling approximately $59,000, and seven trips by Chao, which cost around $98,500.

The investigation has also raised concerns among government watchdogs about the frequency of Rubio's personal journeys and the public expense involved.

Cynthia Brown, senior ethics counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, described the controversy as "more of an optics issue than a violation."

She also questioned whether the frequency of the trips reflected an appropriate approach to public spending, asking, "Are you really taking care of taxpayer dollars the way that you're obligated to as a public official?"

Liz Hempowicz of American Oversight similarly stressed the importance of public accountability, saying, "That's exactly why transparency matters here."

Meanwhile, Campaign Legal Center's Delaney Marsco acknowledged that wanting to attend a son's football game was understandable. However, she pointed out that senior government officials sometimes have to limit personal travel because of the expense involved.