Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed that he and other senior officials spent roughly 90 minutes uncertain whether an unidentified person sleeping aboard Air Force One during a return flight from China was actually deceased.
Rubio detailed the episode during an appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast, explaining that the individual remained motionless in a conference room while activity continued around them. The officials debated whether to intervene, concerned about both the potential embarrassment of waking someone in deep sleep and the serious alternative.
The Dilemma
“We spent about 90 minutes sort of debating should we make a move? Should we deal with this?” Rubio recalled. The officials weighed the awkwardness of rousing a sleeping passenger against the gravity of a medical emergency aboard the aircraft.
Rubio noted that the person had slept through considerable noise and showed no response to stimuli. “The breathing pattern was difficult,” Rubio said, citing additional concerns that prompted the deliberation among officials present.
Despite these worries, no physician was summoned and no attempt was made to wake the individual during the approximately 90-minute period. Rubio said eventually the situation resolved itself without action becoming necessary.
Resolution and Mystery
“Luckily, the person was fine,” Rubio said. The secretary of state did not identify the sleeping individual, and no other official has confirmed details about the incident.
The unnamed identity sparked speculation online, with social media users proposing various theories about who might have been aboard. No evidence has emerged to support any of the suggested identities, and Rubio offered no additional clues.
🚨 NEW: Sec. Marco Rubio reveals he thought he found a DEAD BODY on Air Force One on the way back from China, couldn't tell if the person was just sleeping or DECEASED
"I kept tabs on it. I needed to account for where I was if this person passed away!"
"I'm not going to say who… pic.twitter.com/cL6wsJp4Oc
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 11, 2026
The anecdote drew additional attention given that Rubio had faced questioning about a separate sleeping-related controversy approximately one month earlier. During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Democratic California Rep. Ted Lieu asked whether Rubio had witnessed President Trump fall asleep in meetings.
Previous Sleeping Questions
“I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio responded. “On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep, which is a big problem.”
Lieu challenged that answer and stated he possessed video from a cabinet meeting showing Trump with his eyes closed while Rubio was speaking. “Secretary Rubio, I’m going to show you, in a moment, a video that shows you just lied to Congress,” Lieu said.
Rubio maintained his position that he had never witnessed the president fall asleep. No formal congressional action related to Lieu’s accusation has been reported.
The exact date of the Air Force One flight, the identities of other officials involved in the discussion, and the mystery passenger’s identity all remain undisclosed. Rubio appeared to regard the entire episode with humor in retrospect, now that medical concerns have been eliminated.
This story has been updated. CNN’s staff contributed to this report.