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Marco Rubio Frowning Hall of Fame: From "Sad" to "Dead Inside"

Rubio has been caught on camera dissociating as he works as Trump's human punching bag.
Image: Illustration of Donald Trump as a boxer punching Marco Rubio's face as if it is a speed bag.
President Donald Trump doesn't need a boxing gym. He has Secretary of State Marco Rubio to use as his punching bag. New Times photo illustration. Source images via Flickr/GageSkidmore (Rubio), Flickr/StaffSgt.AndrewPorch (Speed Bag), and Flickr/GageSkidmore (Trump)
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio may want to start working on his facial expressions because, despite being a little over a month into the Trump administration, he has already caught the attention of the internet.

Over the last week, Rubio has been caught on camera in moments that indicate he may be regretting signing up to work for his one-time bully and nemesis, President Donald Trump.

If you turn back the clocks to a decade ago, you may remember that Trump enjoyed ridiculing and picking on "Little Marco Rubio." As the two battled for the 2016 presidency, Trump routinely called the then-Florida senator "Mr. Meltdown," a "Choker," a "No-Show," and "Robot Rubio."

While the pair have seemingly made up (or Rubio just wants to pretend that Trump didn't bully him into submission), there have been a handful of incidents in which Rubio is slowly realizing what he signed up for by becoming Trump's Secretary of State — endless ridicule, fracas, and bootlicking.

Without further ado, New Times presents the seven saddest faces of Marco Rubio.

Marco Slowly Dies Inside

At his first cabinet meeting, Trump asked his cabinet members, "Is anybody unhappy with Elon?" Members chuckled and clapped their hands in response. Rubio's grin, however, was short-lived. He only had a soft, singular clap.
click to enlarge Marco Rubio laughs during the first cabinet meeting. He is sitting between Donald Trump and Doug Burgum at a roundtable.
Marco Rubio begins to realize he lost his soul.
Screenshot via YouTube

Daddy, Marco Wants to Go Home

It was the question heard around the world.

"Why don't you wear a suit?" Brian Glenn of the ring-wing television channel Real America's Voice asked Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 28. "You're at the highest level in this country's office and you refuse to wear a suit."

Rubio couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Mom, please come pick me up," he was probably thinking to himself.
click to enlarge Marco Rubio sits on the couch during the Trump-Zelensky showdown at the White House.
Marco Rubio looks uncomfortable during the Trump-Zelensky showdown at the White House.
Screenshot via YouTube

Marco Wants to Disappear

As he witnessed Vice President J.D. Vance and Trump berating the Ukrainian president, Rubio looked like he wanted to sink into the couch and never be seen again, just like Sarah from the 2006 "Above the Influence: Flat Girl Commercial."

"A teen girl becomes flat after doing marijuana," the commercial's description reads — eerily similar to Rubio almost two decades later.

Marco Isn't Actually Laughing

Rubio is always catching strays.

During Trump's never-ending address to Congress, the president just had to throw one jab Rubio's way.

"We gave [the canal] to Panama, and we are taking it back," Trump said. "And we have Marco Rubio in charge. Good Luck, Marco. Now, we know who to blame if anything goes wrong."
click to enlarge Marco Rubio laughing during Trump's address to Congress
Marco Rubio realizes that he is still "Little Marco."
Screenshot via YouTube

Marco Slowly Realizes What He Has Done

As Trump continued talking about his secretary of state, Rubio realized he would never not be "Little Marco" in his boss' eyes.

Marco Didn't Sign Up for This

After Rubio's appearance during the White House meeting with Zelensky quickly became an internet meme, Trump threw him to the wolves to defend the president's behavior and blame Zelensky for causing the chaos.

He told CNN host Kaitlan Collins that the Ukrainian president should apologize for "turning this thing into the fiasco for him that it became."

"There was no need for him to go in there and become antagonistic," Rubio continued.
click to enlarge Marco Rubio appears on CNN
Marco Rubio had to repent on CNN after he became an internet meme.
Screenshot via YouTube

Marco Dissociates Again

Of course, Saturday Night Live created its own version of the contentious White House meeting in its cold opening.

Miami's very own Marcello Hernández played Rubio, sitting on the couch staring into space.

"Oh man, look at Rubio over there fully dissociating," James Austin Johnson, appearing as Trump, said. "He looks like Homer Simpson disappearing into that hedge. To quote the late, good Tom Petty, he's free falling."
click to enlarge Marco Rubio, AKA Marcello Hernández, slowly sinks into the couch.
Marco Rubio, AKA Marcello Hernández, slowly sinks into the couch.
Screenshot via YouTube