Critics say WaPo tries to shame Rubio over military aircraft trips to football games as team responds

Coverage of Florida games

The Washington Post faced criticism after its reporting on Rubio’s travel to Florida Gators games in Gainesville. The account centers on Rubio’s use of military aircraft to attend football games, but offers no further details about the travel.

The report comes amid Rubio’s public schedule, which included a trip to Greece last month and an appearance at the G7 summit in Paris. He is the U.S. secretary of state.

His son plays for Florida

Rubio’s son, Anthony, joined the Gators in 2023 as a preferred walk-on running back. He has seen action in several games since joining the team. Anthony scored a touchdown during Florida’s Gasparilla Bowl appearance in December 2024. The account does not say whether he played in the games connected to his father’s travel.

Team response not detailed

The headline says Rubio’s team responded to the reporting. No wording or explanation from the team appears in the supplied account. The criticism and the team response are presented alongside information about Rubio’s travel and his son’s football role. The account does not explain what the response addressed or provide additional details about the aircraft use.