Secretary of State Marco Rubio handled a chaotic and packed White House briefing on Tuesday, fielding questions on Iran and China while quickly breezing past a query about the administration's plans for Cuba. Rubio, 54, is the first of Trump's Cabinet members to take the podium and fill in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during her maternity leave.
At the podium, Rubio joked about the frenzied atmosphere as nearly 100 journalists angled for questions. After playfully venting about his role as fill-in press secretary, he remarked that he needed 'to get a laser pointer' to select whom to call on.
Rubio began by claiming that Iran has been militarily defeated and that the US awaits a unified response from the fractured government on winding down the war, now in its tenth week. Independent analysts dispute whether the regime has been defeated; on Monday, Iran fired a series of missiles and drones against US ships and allies in the Strait of Hormuz.
America's top diplomat also addressed Cuba after meeting with US Southern Command earlier in the day, where he posed for a picture shaking a top general's hand in front of a map of the Caribbean island nation. When pressed by the Daily Mail about the Cuba meeting, Rubio declined to go into specifics, urging that the map was insignificant and not a pointed message.
'Our ambassadors from the whole western hemisphere, I was addressing them and meeting the general just took command of SOUTHCOM and there happened to be a map of Cuba,' Rubio said of the eyebrow-raising photo-op. He explained that the map was not meant as a message, but rather he wanted it in the photo because Cuba is one of the closest nations to the US in SOUTHCOM's jurisdiction, despite Mexico being closer.
He said, 'It would be good if we took a picture because it's [Cuba] like the closest thing itself coming to the United States, so there it is.' When pressed if there have been any updates on the US's gambit to take control of Greenland, Rubio joked he didn't have a Greenland map.
The photo caption read: 'Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited #SOUTHCOM today and met with Gen. Francis L. Donovan. Their discussions focused on U.S. efforts to counter threats that undermine security, stability and democracy in our hemisphere.' Some online interpreted the image as a subtle nod to the Trump administration's ambitions for regime change in Cuba, which is roughly 90 miles from Florida.
Trump and Rubio have been outspoken about wanting regime change in the island nation. In January, Rubio testified before Congress, saying, 'I think we would love to see the regime there change.' Trump doubled down in March, saying he wants to have 'the honor of taking Cuba,' adding, 'Whether I free it, take it, I think I can do anything I want with it.' He reiterated that desire last week, noting that the US will be preparing to take over Cuba 'almost immediately.'
Since the administration's capture of Venezuela's former dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump and his team have openly floated Cuba as their next target, though there was little sign of a US military operation until Rubio posed for a photo with Cuba prominently on the map. The administration has also expressed hope that Cuba's dire financial situation—worsened after Maduro's overthrow cut the island off from free Venezuelan oil—will trigger a leadership collapse.
'The problem in Cuba: their economic model doesn't work,' Rubio told reporters on Tuesday. 'And the people in charge can't fix it… The only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent communist, and that's what they are in that country.'
Making his debut as acting White House spokesman, Rubio handled a barrage of questions with ease, despite knowing barely any of the reporters. At one point, he joked that journalists should wear name tags so he could tell who he was talking to. Lighter relief came when Rubio was asked for his DJ name after footage of him behind the decks at Trump aide Dan Scavino's wedding went viral. 'You're not ready for my DJ name,' he replied with a grin.
