White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is facing unexpected backlash on social media after posting family photos from a pre-Cinco De Mayo weekend in Florida.
The images, shared on Instagram on May 5, feature Leavitt with her husband Nicholas Riccio and their infant son, sparking a flurry of comments about the couple’s significant age difference.
The 27-year-old White House press secretary, who made history as the youngest person to hold the position, has become accustomed to public scrutiny since President Donald Trump appointed her in January 2025 at the beginning of his second term.
However, the recent social media reaction has focused less on her professional role and more on her personal life, particularly her relationship with 59-year-old Riccio.
“Is that his grandpa?” one Instagram user commented on the family photo.
“The baby looks a lot like his Grandfather, that’s holding him,” wrote another, while a third added, “This is so sweet – three generations!”
The confusion continued with another commenter noting, “Looks like a little Trump,” and one particularly direct user remarking, “You know what they say … when you marry and old man … you have old looking babies… he’s cute but the munchkin looks like his daddy right now.”
The couple’s romance began in 2022 when they met at a New Hampshire restaurant event hosted by a mutual friend during Leavitt’s congressional campaign for the state’s first district, which she ultimately lost. What started as a friendship eventually blossomed into love, despite their 32-year age gap.
According to People, Leavitt and Riccio welcomed their son, Nicholas Robert “Niko” Riccio, in July 2024, just days before the alleged assassination attempt on then-candidate Trump on July 13 in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
The incident cut Leavitt’s maternity leave short as she quickly returned to work. “I looked at my husband and said, ‘Looks like I’m going back to work,'” she revealed in an October 2024 interview with The Conservateur.
Though engaged since December 2023, the couple waited until January 2025 to marry, holding their wedding at a New Hampshire country club just days before Trump’s second inauguration. By then, Leavitt had already been selected as the incoming administration’s press secretary.
The press secretary addressed her unconventional relationship during a February 2025 appearance on “The Megyn Kelly Show.” When the 54-year-old conservative pundit inquired about the age difference, Leavitt acknowledged the unusual nature of their relationship but defended it wholeheartedly.
“Of course. It’s a very atypical love story, but he’s incredible. He is my greatest supporter. He’s my best friend. He’s my rock,” she told Kelly. Leavitt explained that Riccio’s established career has enabled him to fully support her professional ambitions, saying, “He’s built a very successful business himself so now he’s fully supportive of me building my success in my career.”
The real estate developer’s support has proven particularly valuable as Leavitt navigates the demanding role of representing Trump’s administration to the press.
“He’s the best dad I could ever ask for,” she said, praising his parenting of their young son during “this very chaotic period” of her career. She added, “I say, ‘I walked into your life and it’s been a circus ever since.'”
Despite the online criticism and ongoing scrutiny about both her age and her relationship, Leavitt continues to serve as the public face of the Trump administration while balancing her roles as a new wife and mother.
The attention on her personal life highlights the unique challenges faced by young women in high-profile political positions, where personal choices often become fodder for public debate alongside professional decisions.
