At the White House briefing room on Tuesday, Secretary of State and national security adviser Marco Rubio took on an unusually visible role, fielding questions for more than 50 minutes on topics ranging from the Iran conflict to Latin America policy, U.S. energy prices, and upcoming diplomatic travel. The appearance marked another expansion of Rubio’s responsibilities under President Donald Trump’s administration and offered a glimpse of his growing prominence in foreign policy and political circles.
Rubio, a former U.S. senator from Florida, answered questions in multiple languages and used a lighter tone than is typical for White House briefings, joking with reporters as the room grew increasingly chaotic. “This is chaos, guys,” Rubio joked as he tried to manage shouted questions from the packed briefing room. “Welcome to the White House,” someone called back.
At one point, Rubio emphasized the administration’s stance on Iran and U.S. strength abroad, stating, “As President Trump has said, and the facts clearly bear out, the United States of America holds all the cards.”
The briefing came as Rubio fills in for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is currently on maternity leave. He is the first in a rotating list of guest briefers expected to temporarily take over press duties.
The appearance also carried political undertones. Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance are widely seen as potential leading figures for the Republican Party in the 2028 presidential race, making Rubio’s performance closely watched in Washington. While Rubio has publicly deferred to Vance’s positioning, President Trump has repeatedly praised Rubio’s work in recent months.
Rubio has also become one of Trump’s closest foreign policy advisers, taking leading roles on Venezuela policy following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, as well as engagement with Cuba. He has participated in international discussions involving Ukraine and Russia and is described by Trump as “totally involved” in negotiations with Iran.
On Tuesday, Rubio defended the administration’s approach to Iran and the War Powers Act, arguing that U.S. operations in the region are defensive. “This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation. And what that means is very simple, there’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first,” he said.
He also addressed economic concerns linked to the conflict, including rising U.S. gasoline prices, which have averaged around $4.50 per gallon. Rubio linked the issue to Iranian actions in global shipping lanes, warning of worse outcomes if Iran developed nuclear weapons: “If Iran had a nuclear weapon and they decided to close the strait and make our gas prices like $9 a gallon or $8 a gallon, we wouldn’t be able to do anything about it,” he said.
Foreign policy dominated the briefing, including questions about Trump’s upcoming trip to China and Rubio’s scheduled meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City. Rubio said the Vatican visit had been planned in advance and would include discussions on humanitarian aid and religious freedom.
He also addressed a recent photo taken in front of a Cuba map alongside a U.S. Southern Command general, dismissing speculation about its intent.
