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Marco Rubio Steps In as White House Press Secretary During Leavitt's Maternity Leave

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will temporarily take on the role of White House Press Secretary, briefing the media while Karoline Leavitt is on maternity leave. Leavitt announced her leave prior to giving birth to a daughter, assuring the press team would continue updates. The move is unusual for a senior cabinet official but reflects the administration's flexibility. The White House is experiencing a baby boom with several staff members expecting children.

Key Points: Rubio to Brief White House Press as Leavitt on Leave

  • Rubio to brief media in temporary additional role
  • Leavitt on maternity leave for daughter's birth
  • No replacement; her team will continue updates
  • White House sees baby boom with multiple pregnancies
2 min read

US State Secy Rubio briefs media at White House in temporary role as Press Secy Leavitt goes on maternity leave

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio temporarily takes over press briefings as Karoline Leavitt begins maternity leave. An unusual role for a senior cabinet official.

"The president doesn't give a crap if you're a man or a woman. He just wants you to be good at your job. - Karoline Leavitt"

Washington DC, May 6

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday will take on a temporary additional role at the White House, stepping in to address the media from the briefing room podium.

According to Fox News, Rubio will brief reporters directly in the White House Briefing Room in place of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is currently on maternity leave.

The development marks an unusual move, with a senior cabinet official assuming briefing responsibilities typically handled by the White House press secretary.

Last month, Leavitt announced that she would be away from the White House for maternity leave, as the MAGA proponent is set to have a daughter.

There will not be any replacement for Leavitt, but she announced that the press will continue getting updates from her team.

After her usual gaggle with the press outside the White House on April 24, Leavitt concluded, "Finally, on a personal matter, this will likely be my last gaggle for some time. As you can see, I'm about ready to have a baby any minute. So I will see you guys very soon. I know you'll be in very good hands with my team here at the White House, and I know all of you have the president's phone number personally, so I have no doubt that you will have no shortage of statements and news from this building while I am gone."

Leavitt is married to Nicholas Riccio, a New Hampshire-based real estate developer. The couple married in January 2025, just before US President Donald Trump's second inauguration. They welcomed their first child, a son named Niko, in 2024.

The White House is witnessing a baby boom after the conservative Republican Party's takeover.

At least four women with close ties to the White House are pregnant, including second lady Usha Vance, Leavitt, and Katie Miller, who is married to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

White House deputy chief of staff James Blair and his wife, Sam, were expecting a baby in March, as reported by Fox News.

Leavitt told Vanity Fair in its report published in December 2025, "The president doesn't give a crap if you're a man or a woman. He just wants you to be good at your job."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
As a working mom in Delhi's corporate world, I appreciate that she's taking maternity leave. But having Rubio—a Secretary of State—temporarily do press secretary duties feels like a waste of diplomatic resources. Why not just have a deputy step up? Seems like a PR move more than anything practical.
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Vikram M
First time I'm hearing a US official say "the president doesn't care if you're a man or a woman, he just wants you to be good at your job." That's a refreshingly straightforward approach. We could use more of that in Indian politics too, where merit often takes a backseat to connections. Good for Leavitt and her family! 👶
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Deepak U
Honestly, this seems like a solution in search of a problem. The White House Press Secretary's team could handle it—they said so themselves. Having a senior cabinet member like Rubio do this feels like a political statement about the administration's priorities. Also, Usha Vance being pregnant? Didn't expect that news to come out through this article!
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Kavya N
As an Indian woman working in media, I find this quite progressive—a conservative administration normalizing maternity leave at the highest level. We still struggle with that in India's corporate world. That said, having a Secretary of State do press briefings is odd. But kudos to Leavitt for taking time off and to Rubio for stepping in. Family comes first, even in politics.
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Michael C
Wait, they got married in January 2025 and already have a baby? And this is their second child? That timeline seems tight. Anyway, the bigger story here is that Rubio is doing press secretary work

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