‘karoline Is Irreplaceable’: Marco Rubio Looks Forward To Press Secretary’s Return From Maternity Leave After Subbing In At Podium

Secretary of State Marco Rubio “can’t wait” until Karoline Leavitt resumes her duties aft subbing successful for nan White House Press Secretary astatine nan podium.

Leavitt, who has held nan domiciled since nan commencement of President Donald Trump’s 2nd term, went connected maternity time off April 27. Her daughter, Viviana, was calved May 1 to Leavitt, 28, and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, 60. The couple’s son, Nicholas, “Niko” will move 2 successful July.

Rubio subbed successful for Leavitt astatine a raucous property briefing connected May 5 wherever he answered questions from reporters for astir an hour.

"Karoline is irreplaceable...I was conscionable a pinch-hitter,” Rubio told Fox News anchor Sean Hannity connected Air Force One Wednesday arsenic he traveled pinch Trump to China for a acme pinch President Xi Jinping. “We can't hold until Karoline gets back."

Leavitt has not said erstwhile she will return from maternity leave. The Washington Post reported that she plans to return a longer play disconnected from activity than she did pursuing nan commencement of her boy successful 2024 — which occurred 3 days earlier an attempted assassination against Trump successful Butler, Pennsylvania, and instantly trim short her time off from her domiciled arsenic run property secretary.

A White House charismatic told nan Post past week that nan magnitude of Leavitt’s maternity time off “is still to beryllium determined”. The Independent has asked for immoderate updates.

During nan question and reply onboard Air Force One, Hannity joked that moonlighting arsenic property caput wasn’t nan first White House occupation that Rubio had picked up successful summation to being a elder Cabinet member.

“It seemed for illustration you were having fun,” Hannity said.

Rubio replied: “Well, yeah, I don’t cognize if I’d person nosy if I had to do it each week.”

Last year, Rubio began overseeing nan White House National Security Council pursuing a reshuffle of Trump’s closest advisers, spurred successful portion by an embarrassing Signal chat ungraded which exposed specifications of subject operations.

Rubio’s predecessor astatine nan information council, Mike Waltz, accidentally added a newsman to a matter concatenation containing non-public accusation astir imminent strikes against Houthi targets successful Yemen, prompting an embarrassing media rhythm for nan White House. Waltz was transferred to beryllium Trump’s United Nations ambassador, and Rubio took complete his job.

Leavitt is nan first White House property caput to springiness commencement while successful office, according to nan Washington Post. Rubio, meanwhile, is nan first Secretary of State since Henry Kissinger to service successful dual roles astatine State and arsenic Trump’s nationalist information adviser.

The property caput past made a little nationalist quality astatine nan White House alongside different members of nan president’s squad connected April 25, 2 days earlier officially opening her leave.

Earlier that night, she had attended nan White House Correspondents’ Dinner astatine nan Washington Hilton erstwhile a gunman attempted to large wind nan gala to assassinate Trump officials but was thwarted by rule enforcement.