Fact Check: Is Marco Rubio the next White House press secretary after Karoline Leavitt leaves?

WASHINGTON, DC: After White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that she would leave her role at the end of August 2026, several memes and social media posts claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would replace her.

Videos of Rubio handling a White House press briefing while filling in for Leavitt during her maternity leave have also resurfaced online.

The posts have fueled speculation that Rubio could become the next White House Press Secretary. However, there has been no official announcement confirming Leavitt’s replacement. Will Marco Rubio replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary?

Claim: Marco Rubio will replace Karoline Leavitt as White House Press Secretary

Karoline Leavitt’s announcement on Wednesday, August 12, that she would leave her role surprised many people. Her decision also led to speculation about who would replace her at the White House briefing room podium.

Several posts and memes on X claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would become the next White House press secretary. Some users also shared an old video of Rubio filling in for Leavitt during her maternity leave.

One X post praised Rubio’s performance, saying, “Marco Rubio proved that he’d be a GREAT White House Press Secretary! Remember when he filled in for Karoline Leavitt during her maternity leave?” The post also joked about Rubio’s busy schedule and his time at the podium.

In the video, Rubio interacted with reporters in a light-hearted way. He pointed to reporters, made jokes, and answered questions during the briefing.

Other X users also claimed Rubio had been chosen for the job. One post said, “I hear Marco Rubio is the new press secretary.” Another user wrote, “Rubio named new White House Press Secretary.”

A separate post went even further, claiming, “Trump just announced that Marcela Rubio will be the new White House Press Secretary.”

Fact Check: False, Marco Rubio is not the next White House Press Secretary

The claim is false. Marco Rubio is not the next White House press secretary. He continues to serve as the US Secretary of State, and President Donald Trump has not announced Karoline Leavitt’s replacement.

Rubio’s name came up because he briefly handled White House press briefings earlier in 2026 while Leavitt was on maternity leave. Other senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, also filled in during that period.

Rubio has since returned to his duties as Secretary of State. There is no indication that he is moving to the White House Press Secretary role.

Leavitt is expected to leave her position at the end of August 2026 to spend more time with her family. "Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least," she wrote on X.

She continued, "The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary - and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life."