In Washington, the air is thick with speculation following a pair of White House press briefings that seemed to set the stage for the 2028 presidential race.
With Karoline Leavitt, Donald Trump’s press secretary, currently on maternity leave, the spotlight shifted to Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both took turns addressing the media, each bringing their unique style to the podium.
Sean Spicer, who served as Trump’s initial press secretary during his first term, shared his thoughts on the performances with the Daily Mail.
Spicer noted that the decision to have Rubio and Vance step in was a strategic move to capture media attention and promote the President’s agenda.
“Both were eager to take on the challenge, and the President was keenly interested in evaluating their performances, all while ensuring the proceedings remained engaging,” Spicer commented.
He further remarked, “Their approaches and styles were distinctly different, yet both managed to be entertaining and lighthearted. They demonstrated a solid grasp of the issues at hand.”
Sean Spicer served as President Donald Trump’s first press secretary but stepped down in July 2017. He was succeeded by his deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
He currently hosts his own podcast show and is the author of a new book Trump 2.0: The Revolution That Will Permanently Transform America.
The press was more aggressive with Vance, Spicer noted, as some of the media networks sent more veteran political correspondents to duel with the Vice President.
Sean Spicer was President Trump’s first press secretary in 2017
Secretary of State Marco Rubio filled in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a White House press conference on Tuesday while the President’s spokeswoman is on maternity leave
Vice President JD Vance takes questions from the press during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2026
While ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce was in the briefing with Rubio, Chief Washington Correspondent and briefing room veteran Jon Karl made a rare appearance to query the Vice President.
Similarly, CNN sent its more senior Chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins to grill the Vice President. Meanwhile, White House correspondent Alayna Treene was present in the briefing room for Rubio.
‘They all wanted to have their moments. I don’t know how often Kaitlan Collins actually attends the briefing, but you knew she was there so that she could try to have her moment,’ he said.
Spicer noted that Vance made a point of getting combative with some of the reporters, including a lengthy question from the Independent’s reporter Andrew Feinberg.
‘He was sort of deconstructing the premise of the question,’ he said, pointing out Vance’s ability to get to the point quickly.
Rubio’s press briefing was sprinkled with 90s hip hop lyrics, a relaxed demeanor, and a monologue about his hopes about the future of America that went viral online.
While Vance played defense on the issue of the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, Rubio spent most of his time defending the ongoing war and negotiations with Iran.
Both Rubio and Vance had different styles and approaches, Spicer said, but the press was very engaged through both of the media briefings.
‘The thing that was interesting is at the same time that they were being critical, that the press lapped it all up and ate out of their hands,’ he said.
When Vance approached the press, he revealed he had a ‘cheat sheet’ to let him know who to call on and who not to call on.
‘The seating chart was hysterical, I got a kick out of it,’ he said, referring to a joke he made on social media about wishing he had a copy of that when he had the job.
Ultimately, Spicer said that they both deserved equal praise for their performances.
‘I think they both got an A,’ he said.
US Vice President JD Vance holds a press briefing
Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls on a reporter at the White House press briefing
Spicer said the dueling press conferences are one example of how his administration was serving him better.
‘Historically speaking, you would have never had the Secretary of State and the Vice President coming in to do briefings,’ he said.
Biden’s team, for example, never had Vice President Kamala Harris or Secretary of State Tony Blinken take questions in the briefing room.
Spicer also discussed the major differences between Trump’s first and second terms.
Trump’s White House staff in his second term, he said, was far more organized than it was when he first got to the White House.
The President’s decision to appoint 2024 campaign manager Susie Wiles as his chief of staff in the second term was crucial to their organizational success.
Wiles, he noted, brought together a team that not only has the trust of the President but also more experience working together.
‘These people have a familiarity with Trump, Trump has it with them, and they also get what the agenda is,’ he said.
Vice President JD Vance arrives to the White House press briefing room
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives for a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC
Spicer noted that in Trump’s first term, chiefs of staff Reince Priebus and General John Kelly did not really know the President or the people on the team.
On the staff, many of Trump’s loyal campaign staffers struggled to trust some of the more insider Washington staffers. They also had to deal with the X factor of having both his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner in the building.
He praised the couple as ‘extremely effective’ but admitted that it brought a unique challenge for the chief of staff.
‘People didn’t know each other, they weren’t comfortable with each other, there were some warring factions,’ he said. ‘You’re kind of constantly trying to get people on the same page, stop people from screwing each other over, doing whatever, introducing people and getting them to know each other.’
Many Cabinet-level appointees and staffers in Trump’s first administration, he said, failed to ‘get the memo,’ because they thought they were in charge.
He cited Trump’s first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his struggles as an example.
‘I think coming in, there was a misunderstanding and a misalignment as to what the role was, meaning you’re getting appointed to execute President Trump’s agenda not your views of foreign policy,’ he said.
Trump’s second term still had turnover, as three secretaries have been replaced since they started.
Spicer noted he was surprised that Trump forced out Attorney General Pam Bondi, because she had a great relationship with the President.
But ultimately, she was unable to deliver the results the President wanted, he said.
‘I think here was accountability that wasn’t happening as quick as it might, or that he wanted,’ he said.
Kristi Noem, Trump said, was a ‘unique case’ because she made some political stumbles that embarrassed the administration. Noem’s 200 million taxpayer-funded ad campaign featuring her on a horse as well as the purchase of a large plane with a bar and a bed in were mistakes she could have avoided.
‘I think that there was a lot of fumbles there, politically. It was just not good management, and it didn’t reflect well on the President,’ he said.
Spicer said that many in Washington, DC, were mistaken for suggesting that the most important quality in Trump’s administration was loyalty.
‘A dog can be loyal. Like, loyalty is easy. I mean, you sit in a corner, and you say yes or no, sir, whatever,’ he said. ‘These guys are disruptors, and they’re getting the job done, and the President’s holding them accountable.’
