State Department official blasts ‘moronic’ Washington Post report on Marco Rubio’s required military flights

A State Department official has accused The Washington Post of publishing a “moronic” report about Marco Rubio’s use of military aircraft to attend his son’s football games. The dispute centres on whether Rubio’s personal trips merit scrutiny when he is required to travel on government planes for security reasons.

The Post reported that the flights have cost the government more than $1.2 million and said officials must reimburse the equivalent of an economy fare for personal travel, covering only part of the actual cost. A government ethics expert said Rubio’s travel complies with federal rules but raises questions about public spending. The official argued that a comparison with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was misplaced because Buttigieg was not required to use military aircraft; the practice became a requirement for certain senior officials in 1993.