Rubio Fills in for Karoline Leavitt

Secretary of State Marco Rubio filled in for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt Tuesday in an appearance some analysts saw as an audition for a much bigger job. Rubio stepped behind the White House podium for more than 50 minutes, handling rapid-fire questions on Iran, China, Ukraine, Latin America, gas prices, and the Vatican in a performance that looked a lot like a test drive for a 2028 White House bid, the Hill reports. Speaking in multiple languages, joking with reporters, and calling on them by the color of their clothes, Rubio was the first "guest briefer" subbing for Leavitt, who is on maternity leave. "This is chaos, guys," Rubio joked to the packed briefing room.

• On the Iran war, he said "Operation Epic Fury," which began with the Feb. 28 US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has "concluded," the AP reports. He said the US is now focusing on the effort to get ships through the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian forces. Rubio said the operation is "defensive in nature." Hours later, President Trump said the effort had been suspended.
• The New York Post reports that Rubio once again used rap lyrics in his remarks, describing Iran's leaders as "insane in the brain" and saying they "should check themselves before they wreck themselves."
• Rubio, who will meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican later this week, defended Trump's latest jab at the pope. Trump, who accused Leo of "endangering Catholics" with his stance against the Iran war, "doesn't understand why anybody—leave aside the pope—the president and I, for that matter, I think most people, I cannot understand why anyone would think that it's a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon," Rubio said, per the AP.

The appearance underscored Rubio's expanding portfolio inside Trump's orbit, the Hill reports. Marking his first anniversary as national security adviser—while simultaneously serving as secretary of State, a dual role last held by Henry Kissinger—Rubio has become a central player on Venezuela and Cuba policy and has joined talks involving Ukrainian and Russian officials. Trump has publicly praised him as "totally involved" in Iran negotiations, even as Rubio has been kept out of direct meetings with Iranian officials.

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