Marco Rubio became the center of social media jokes on Wednesday. He was seen traveling to China with Donald Trump aboard Air Force One wearing a grey Nike Tech tracksuit.
The outfit immediately reminded users of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Maduro was photographed in the same type of tracksuit when he was captured by US forces in early January and flown to America while blindfolded.
White House communications director Steven Cheung fueled the fire by posting on X: “Secretary Rubio rocking the Nike Tech ‘Venezuela’ on Air Force One!”
How ‘Maduromaxxing’ became a viral trend
Social media users quickly coined the term “Maduromaxxing” for Rubio’s look. One X user wrote, “He is ‘Maduromaxxing’,” while another posted, “This is absolutely savage. Well done sir.”
The meme spread because Maduro’s capture image had gone viral earlier this year. Trump had shared a photo of the handcuffed and blindfolded Maduro wearing the same grey Nike Tech fleece. Posts at that time claimed the tracksuit sold out due to the attention.
Nike and other brands get unexpected spotlight
The viral moment also created buzz for Nike. One user joked, “Nike just dropped the most exclusive Maduro collection yet.” Another wrote, “This was the moment when Nike was recorded in history.”
Another brand, Origin USA, also gained attention. Maduro was photographed in one of its blue hoodies after being brought to the US. The company responded on X: “Welcome to America. Unfortunately, our ‘Patriot Blue’ RTX shirt won’t be shipping till spring.”
Users then asked the company if their hoodies were “Madurable” and joked that Maduro “looks happy lol, must be a comfy shirt!”
From Halloween costumes to Google searches
Reactions to Rubio’s outfit ranged from funny to strategic. Some said the look would make an ideal Halloween costume. Others pointed to a rise in Google searches for “Nike Tech fleece” following the images.
A different user simply wrote, “I’m trying to get that fit,” showing that even political memes can boost fashion interest.
Rubio’s appearance on Air Force One – meant for high-level US-China talks – turned into an unexpected pop culture moment, all because of a grey tracksuit that reminded everyone of a captured dictator.
