A State Department official blasted The Washington Post on Wednesday, accusing the paper of publishing a “moronic” report that criticized Secretary of State Marco Rubio for using a military aircraft when he is required to do so. 

The Post published the story, “Flying by pricey military jet, Rubio rarely misses a Florida football game,” which noted that the Secretary of State “is required to travel by government plane” when visiting his alma mater, where his son currently plays on the team.

The piece characterized Rubio’s trips as a “cost to taxpayers,” and reported that his personal flights “have cost the government more than $1.2 million.”

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio told The Washington Post, “I have and will continue to try and make it to as many events that are important to me personally and to my family as possible.”  (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Like the defense secretary and the directors of the FBI and CIA, Rubio is barred from flying commercially for security reasons and is required, when traveling for personal reasons, to reimburse the government the equivalent of an economy-fare ticket,” wrote Post reporters Noah White and Rick Maese.

“Officials’ reimbursements are rarely made public, but the amounts required cover only a fraction of the true cost, occasionally leading to scrutiny and controversy for Republican and Democratic appointees alike,” they added. 

Rubio defended the trips, telling the paper, “I have and will continue to try and make it to as many events that are important to me personally and to my family as possible.”

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio regularly travels to watch his son play football.   ( Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

A government ethics expert told the Post that “Rubio’s travel complies with federal rules,” but “raises a question about stewardship of public money.” The Post also noted that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg faced an audit over personal travel during the Biden administration, while pointing out that the “transportation secretary is not among the Cabinet members required to travel on military aircraft.”

Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson criticized the report on X, saying the “Post’s own story quotes watchdogs saying this isn’t a story and there’s nothing here.”

Johnson noted that the Secretary of State is required to use military aircraft, Rubio is “entirely unapologetic and will continue to attend as many of his family’s events as his jobs allow,” he reimburses the government for personal travel and that the Buttigieg comparison is “moronic” because the former transportation secretary’s position did not require him to use military aircraft.

The State Department did not immediately respond when asked for additional comment.

The report also drew criticism on social media.

“The Washington Post is trying to make a scandal out of Secretary Rubio traveling to attend his son’s football games,” former White House press advisor Pat Adams wrote. “They admit he’s required to travel by government plane and that his trips all comply with federal rules, but they published the story anyway to suggest impropriety.” 

“Most parents do whatever they can to see their children compete, but the Washington Post tries to paint that as bad judgment. Completely absurd article,” he added.

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Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, now a Fox News contributor, wrote on X, “Washington Post confirms Secretary Rubio is a great dad.”

The Post’s report also noted that “senior officials have long used government planes for occasional personal travel,” adding that the practice became a requirement in 1993.

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The Washington Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment.