New York Times Removes Nicolás Maduro From 39-Person Stylish List

Q: Why did The New York Times quietly remove Nicolás Maduro from its 2026 style list after spotlighting his viral gray tracksuit?

The New York Times appears to have removed Nicolás Maduro because his inclusion in a fashion list quickly became seen as inappropriate and distracting, even though the paper had initially treated his viral gray tracksuit as a style-and-meme phenomenon. The Times’ only public explanation was an editor’s note saying the article was “updated to remove an entry on Nicolás Maduro,” with a link to its separate Styles story about the image of him in the tracksuit becoming a meme. That suggests his placement on the list grew out of the paper’s own coverage of the viral photo, where attention online centered as much on the outfit as on the politics around him. But after publication, the choice drew wider criticism and scrutiny. The backlash was not just about fashion judgment; it was about elevating a highly controversial political figure in a lighthearted “most stylish” package alongside entertainers, athletes and media personalities. Outside commentary described the decision as being in poor taste, and the removal itself became a news item. So, while the Times has not given a fuller reason, the available evidence points to a practical editorial retreat: Maduro was added because his tracksuit image became a major internet style meme, then quietly removed when editors recognized that treating him as a style-list personality created more controversy than the feature could sustain.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 24

A July 7 editor’s note shows the New York Times deleted Nicolás Maduro from its “39-ish Most Stylish People of 2026” roundup after initially including him.
The note pointed readers to a separate Styles story on how an image of Maduro in a gray tracksuit became a meme after Donald Trump posted it on Truth Social.
Maduro has been in U.S. custody since a Jan. 3 military operation involving more than 150 aircraft; he is awaiting federal trial on drug trafficking and weapons charges.
The list otherwise mixed celebrities and political figures, including Stephen Colbert, RFK Jr., Usha Vance, Karoline Leavitt and Katie Miller.