Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJoe SommerladWednesday 13 May 2026 15:01 BST(X/AFP)Secretary of State Marco Rubio wore a grey Nike tracksuit aboard Air Force One while traveling with President Donald Trump to China, an outfit reminiscent of one worn by deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during his capture.Rubio, who initially boarded the flight in a suit, changed into the tracksuit after takeoff, a move highlighted by White House Communications Director Steven Cheung on X, alluding to Maduro.The sartorial choice is seen as a political jab at Maduro, who was captured in January by U.S. special forces and taken to New York to face narco-terrorism charges, photographed in a similar grey jumpsuit.The official White House account further amplified the message by reposting a map of Venezuela marked as the 51st state and a video featuring Rubio in the tracksuit, set to Notorious B.I.G. music.President Trump's delegation to China included other prominent figures such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Elon Musk, Sean Hannity, and various CEOs, marking the first visit by an American president to China since November 2017.In fullRubio cosplays as deposed Venezuelan leader Maduro in Air Force One pictureThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in