US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sparked controversy after he was reportedly spotted wearing the same “Nike Tech” worn by Nicolas Maduro when he was arrested. According to a post on X, Rubio wore the outfit on Air Force One while traveling to Beijing with the president Donald Trump.
White House Communications Director Steven Chang shared a photo of Rubio wearing the garment, writing on the X: “Secretary Rubio wearing the Nike Tech ‘Venezuela’ on Air Force One!”
X users soon began sharing collages of Rubio and Maduro in the same “Nike Tech.”
Eric Daugherty wrote on X: “LMFAO! Sec. Marco Rubio Just spotted wearing Nicolás Maduro “Nike Tech” aboard Air Force One heading to China with President Trump. Just like what Maduro was wearing when he was captured on 47. We love Marco”.
The White House also shared the photos, writing: “A complete moment.”
“Rubio has a great sense of humor”
Netizens reacted to the photo in the comments section. “Wow, is he going to DJ on the plane too?” one user wrote. “I wish he had brought lots of blankets so he could hide in and get some rest lol,” another wrote. “Rubio has a great sense of humor. Seems like a fun guy,” one user wrote, while another joked, “Wearing the most physically comfortable (but probably socially uncomfortable) Halloween costume in/out?”
Learn more | Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, wife dragged from bedroom in US raid: report
“This is a crazy spoof at this point,” one user wrote, while another said, “But in Adidas? Come on man.” “Marco looks healthy. Attention American men. Cheer up. We need you,” one user said.
Many others shared photos of Rubio wearing the outfit. Take a look:
Maduro arrested
Maduro He and his wife were captured by the United States in January. Officials told CBS News the operation to capture Maduro was carried out by Delta Force, the U.S. Army’s elite special forces unit.
At the time, Defense Secretary Peter Heggs welcomed the troops involved in the mission. “I saw the best of America, and I saw the men and women who dedicated their lives to defending our country and fulfilling this mission,” he said. “Despite any obstacles in front of them, they got the job done.”
Learn more | 150 planes, 30 minutes: How the US captured Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela’s ‘fortress’
Hegseth added that Trump “gave them a clear mission and they accomplished it.”
Meanwhile, Rubio told reporters at the time that Maduro had a chance to leave Venezuela and avoid capture by the United States. “Nicolas Maduro had many opportunities to avoid this,” Rubio told reporters at Mar-a-Lago. “He had a lot of very, very generous offers, but he chose to act like a wild man.”
Rubio did not elaborate on the terms being offered to Maduro but said, “There’s a lot of opportunity for this guy to find his way somewhere else. … He could be living somewhere else right now, very happy, but he wants to play the big boy role, so now he’s got a bunch of other problems on his hands.”
