Karoline Leavitt, Donald Trump’s new press secretary, made her debut in the White House press room on Tuesday, Jan. 28. At just 27 years old, she is the youngest person to ever hold the position, sparking curiosity about her background and the path that led her to this role.
With the newfound interest in Leavitt, details have emerged about her personal life — including her marriage to real estate developer Nicholas “Nick” Riccio. However, what some find unsettling about their union is their age gap. X user and “Hold the Mic” podcast host Ryan Shead drew attention to the topic with a post on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
He posted a three-photo collage of Leavitt: a solo shot of her smiling with her arms crossed, a picture of her and Riccio beaming together, and lastly, an image of the couple gazing at each other while she rests her hand on her pregnant belly. Above the images, Shead took jabs at Leavitt and Riccio’s marriage, citing their significant age difference.
He wrote, “Karoline Leavitt, 27, married a 60-year-old real estate developer in 2023 and promptly had a child. I’m sure his money had nothing to do with it. At least we know how she got the job now. Nicholas Riccio was 32 when Leavitt was born and 51 when she graduated high school. At least Trump was only 24 when Melania was born, I guess. MAGA is always doing what they accuse everyone else of.”
Someone else responded, “I’m trying to think of a time when you have seen a 27 year old man marry a 60 year old woman.”
Another X user who shared the same sentiments as Shead said, “I’m sorry but all I can think about when I see Karoline Leavitt is how her husband is 60 years old.” Underneath the post, another user responded, “She’s a baby trophy wife? Awe her husband must have pulled a lot of strings to get her this gig.”
But of course, there were other people who chose to look at the positives of the situation.
“Dude looks healthier and more alive than most ppl comment angry posts and hate,” wrote one while sharing a picture of the couple dressed as Leavitt held their son.
Someone else said, “Love has no Age.”
It’s unclear when Leavitt and Riccio’s relationship actually started, as the two seem to be relatively private about it. However, their public connection dates back to at least 2022, when Riccio joined Leavitt’s finance committee during her New Hampshire congressional campaign.
Like Leavitt, Riccio is also supportive of Trump. He’s previously lended a few properties in New Hampshire for the Women for Trump organization to gather. Riccio’s real estate business, Riccio Enterprises LLC. is a million dollar enterprise. He owns multiple buildings on M street in Hampton, New Hampshire, and properties in Boston.
On Christmas Day in 2023, Riccio proposed to Leavitt and in 2024 they were married and welcomed their first child together.
As for whether Riccio “pulled a lot of strings” for Leavitt, her background suggests that she got this role on her own.
She is a graduate of Saint Anselm College where she received her bachelor’s degree in politics and communications. During Trump’s first term she got an internship working in the correspondence office of the White House writing letters on his behalf. She later worked her way up to becoming assistant press secretary.
When Trump lost his second campaign she went on to be communications director for Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik. She later left that job to run for Congress for New Hampshire but was defeated by Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.
Although Leavitt has secured her role as White House press secretary, she shouldn’t get too comfortable. While she is the first to hold the position in Trump’s second term, she may not be the last. During his first term, Trump had four different press secretaries. While it’s not uncommon for presidents to rotate press secretaries, it just means that Leavitt has her work cut out for her.
