Karoline Leavitt has never been shy about defending President Donald Trump.
Now, the former White House press secretary is using that same fighting spirit to defend another man in her life.
The woman who once stood at the White House podium fielding tough questions is now facing a different kind of scrutiny. This time, the controversy has nothing to do with Trump’s policies and everything to do with the man she shares kids with.
The 29-year-old Republican firebrand has heard plenty of jokes about her marriage to wealthy real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, 61.
Their 32-year age gap has made the couple a favorite target of online critics, and her comments about it only made things worse.
From their wedding photos to the birth announcements for their two children, critics have mocked the couple for months.
Some have compared Riccio to her father or grandfather, questioning what she sees in a man more than three decades her senior.
But Leavitt has no plans to trade her husband for someone closer to her own age.
On Oct. 14, Leavitt hosted an Instagram Stories question-and-answer session while traveling. One follower asked, “What advice would you give for girls in age-gap relationships? My husband is 15 years older.”
Leavitt answered with a photo of herself and Riccio, along with a message that left little room for debate.
“Forget the haters and follow your heart!” she declared. “Marrying this man was the best decision I ever made. He’s the absolute best husband and dad in the world. Everyone gets why we are together when they actually meet him and see us together.”
The response sounded sweet but the internet wasn’t convinced.
“Please, nobody take advice from lipless Leavitt,” one commenter snapped.
Another questioned whether a younger man could tolerate the former Trump spokesperson’s personality. Someone else said, “Pretty sure any man close to her age couldn’t stand to be around her for more than 5 minutes.”
Others couldn’t get past the generational divide.
“I think its disgusting. It’s like being married to your dad. When her kids get older their friends are going to wonder if that’s their grandpop not their dad,” one person wrote.
One critic found her politics more offensive than her marriage. “I hope Karoline knows she has given us so many reasons to hate her, her old man is barely noticeable,” the reader wrote.
Another IG follower asked why she sometimes conceals her children’s faces online. Her children’s faces have appeared on both her social media posts and in photos taken by media photographers.
Still, Leavitt ran with it, claiming threats and criticism during her White House tenure influenced this purported decision.
“I wish I didn’t feel the need to do this because my kids are so dang cute and I am so proud of them,” she wrote.
Another fan asked why she left the White House if she planned to keep working. Leavitt responded with an eye-roll emoji.
“As Press Sec, I was working in the office 60+ hours a week, traveling the world, and always on call 24/7,” she explained, adding, “Now, I am home with my kids every day and doing some TV hits. These things are not the same, ma’am.”
She also confirmed she will join Fox News as a contributor on Nov. 1 and is working on other projects mostly from home.
She even praised her former boss. When asked whether Trump was kind, Leavitt declared, “Yes! He’s the best boss,” and described him as hilarious and supportive.
Leavitt and Riccio met during her unsuccessful 2022 congressional campaign in New Hampshire. The romance raised eyebrows even within her family.
The couple became engaged in December 2023 and welcomed their son, Niko, in July 2024. They married in January 2025, shortly before Trump’s second inauguration. Their daughter, Viviana, arrived in May 2026.
During a February 2025 interview with Megyn Kelly, Leavitt acknowledged their unconventional romance.
“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 explained.
She also joked about how her political career upended her husband’s quiet life. “I walked into your life and it’s been a circus ever since,” she recalled telling him.
For now, Leavitt seems content with her growing family and her next TV chapter.
As for the critics still counting the years between her and Riccio, she has already delivered her answer: follow your heart, and let everybody else stay mad.
