Karoline Leavitt, 28, hoped she would look like a glowing mother at her baby shower; instead, the White House press secretary appeared to be a woman in need of support.
Donald Trump’s superstar staffer temporarily left her post to celebrate the impending arrival of her second child with her husband, Nicolas Riccio, 60. But the sweet moment could soon have her defending her personal life in a carefully curated social media post recapping the wild scene.
Leavitt and friends gathered inside a golf course clubhouse on March 22 for spritz mocktails, bites of shortcake, and lighthearted banter. The pink welcome sign inside the venue read “Welcome to Karoline’s Baby Sprinkle.”
Tables were draped in pink cloth, a glittery, pink “BABY” marquee was spotted in one photo, and other snapshots highlighted the small gathering of women who convened to shower Leavitt with well-wishes.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, Leavitt’s executive assistant Kieghan Nangle, Assistant Press Secretary Allison Schuster, White House Deputy Communications Director Charyssa Parent, Katie Miller, wife of deputy chief of staff Steven Miller, and a few other ladies all posed for photos with the expectant mother.
According to photos shared on social media, each of the guests stuck to the floral and pink theme, with the exception of a woman dressed in a black and white polka dot dress, a second woman who wore an all-white dress, and a third attendee seen in a white and green plaid dress. A group shot exposed the women wearing shades of pink or cream in various shades of blonde or dark brown hair.
Their attire was just one of the observations fueling the jokes that mocked Leavitt. Among the reactions was one that reads, “Yikes what are you all wearing! Omg not a good look.”
Celebrating the great @karolineleavitt and her baby girl. pic.twitter.com/qgyt4eH8Hx
— Katie Miller (@KatieMiller) March 22, 2026
A second individual asked, “Why does she dress so tacky. She looks like an old lady with that dress,” taking issue with Leavitt’s slip-like dress, which featured lace and ruffle accents and a floral and geometric-shaped print.
The 28-year-old announced her pregnancy in December, revealing she and her 60-year-old husband, Nicholas Riccio, were expecting a baby girl due in May. The pair, who have a 32-year age gap, are already parents to 1-year-old son, Niko.
Those who noticed that Leavitt was surrounded by colleagues commented things like, “Where are your friends? This looks so sad and joyless.”
However, the discourse about her personal life took a nosedive when people realized Riccio was also absent from the festivities.
A similar scene was captured when Leavitt, her female friends, and family celebrated Niko at her 2024 baby shower. The welcome sign also excluded any mention of her husband.
“Where’s Grandpa? I mean her husband,” an X user tweeted. Along that same line, a second user remarked, “Aaawww… y’all did it at the nursing home so her husband could be there. So sweet!”
Karoline Leavitt brought her husbsnd Nicholas Riccio to the White House.
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) March 26, 2025
Nick, who worked on Leavitt’s campaign finance committee, and Karoline got married January 4th, less than 3 months ago. pic.twitter.com/qTnXoGBiSk
Sharp mockery of the all-girl bash was further derailed when hecklers said baby sprinkle gifts included, “Matching … sets for the baby and her husband.”
Leavitt previously acknowledged her union as being unconventional, even admitting that her family had to grapple with her marrying someone old enough to be her parents’ peer.
Trump can relate, highlighting the 24-year age gap between him and first lady Melania. Another unconventional couple in his administration is Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, who are also expecting a child.
Notably, both Melania and Usha skipped Leavitt’s all-girls baby shower, adding another layer of curiosity to the guest list and leaving observers to read between the lines about where personal ties and political proximity may or may not align.
