Image of Nicolás Maduro in Nike Tech sweatsuit prompts memes and fashion debate

President Trump shared an unverified cropped photo on Truth Social that he said showed Nicolás Maduro in U.S. custody aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima, en route to the United States; the image shows Mr. Maduro blindfolded, wearing a gray Nike Tech sweatsuit and noise-canceling headphones.

Rather than focusing solely on the geopolitics, many online users seized on the clothing, turning the image into fashion-related memes. The men’s fashion podcast Throwing Fits posted a meme of Mr. Maduro in the sweatsuit that the show’s co-host James Harris said drew more than 50,000 likes and 200 comments.

Jamie Cohen, an associate professor of media studies, called such memes a “shareable, nonpartisan” way to engage; he predicted there could be Maduro sweatsuit costumes next Halloween. The Nike Tech suit itself has cultural associations — worn by rappers like Central Cee, basketball players like Kevin Durant and soccer teams such as F.C.

Barcelona, and described in some cities as an unofficial uniform for quick errands — and the garment was already the subject of an internet trend about moving away from Tech Fleece toward quarter-zip sweaters. Other images of Mr. Maduro circulated over the weekend, including one showing him in a formal suit flanked by two U.S.

Key Topics

Culture, Nicolas Maduro, Tech Fleece, Truth Social, Uss Iwo Jima, Throwing Fits