Strange Things About Karoline Leavitt’s Massive Age-Gap Romance With Husband Nicholas

Karoline Leavitt is making headlines, and not just because of her new job. At only 27 years old, she has become the youngest White House press secretary ever, and she’s ready to show that she fits right in with Donald Trump’s team. However, her new position comes with a lot of attention, and it’s not just about her skills. People are also talking about her personal life, especially the significant age difference between her and her husband, Nicholas “Nick” Riccio.

It’s still unclear if she’s truly ready for this role, but Trump is fully supporting her, praising her in a statement to The Washington Post. He said, “Karoline is smart, tough, and has shown she can communicate effectively. I believe she will do great at the podium and help share our message as we Make America Great Again.” Leavitt, who some are calling a copycat of Kayleigh McEnany, is determined to prove herself. For example, she returned to work just a week after giving birth to her son, Nicholas “Niko” Robert Riccio, who is named after her husband. She explained to The Coveteur, “I felt I needed to be part of this important moment. The president risked everything to win this election, so I wanted to get back to work as soon as I could.”

On the plus side, Riccio, who runs his own business, can travel easily to be with her and their baby. That’s impressive, right? But some people can’t stop talking about their age difference. It’s a bit shocking when you think about it: when Leavitt was born, Riccio was already old enough to drink legally for ten years.

Nicholas Riccio is reportedly over three decades older than Karoline

karolineleavitt / Instagram

There isn’t an official record of Nicholas Riccio’s age, but a 2005 article from the Sunday Herald suggested he was around 40 at that time. If you do the math, that means he was already 32 when Karoline Leavitt was born in 1997. For comparison, Donald Trump has a significant age difference with Melania; he was almost 24 when she was born, so this age gap is pretty noticeable even by those standards. What’s even more intriguing is that Riccio wasn’t just a casual fan; he was actually part of Leavitt’s finance committee during her 2022 congressional campaign in New Hampshire, according to Notus. They got married in 2023, and by July 2024, they welcomed their baby, Niko.

However, Leavitt’s critics can’t seem to overlook the age difference. Every time she shares family pictures, the comments section gets heated. One user commented, “Your ‘husband’ could be your grandfather. Yet you judge everyone else, disgusting.” Another asked, “Is that your dad next to you?” The criticism continued on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one person tweeting, “I wondered how Karoline Leavitt went from a failed congressional candidate in NH to Press Secretary, but then I found out she married a 60-year-old, and it all makes sense now.”

As for Leavitt, she doesn’t seem to mind the criticism at all. She believes they are a great match. “He doesn’t use social media and is an introvert, which is the complete opposite of me,” she explained on Instagram, sharing why her husband is rarely seen online. “I respect his privacy here, but he’s my biggest supporter, the best dad, and just the best man I’ve ever known.”

Who is Nicholas Riccio? Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s husband went from homeless to millionaire

Karoline Leavitt made history by becoming the youngest press secretary in America at just 27 years old. Besides her impressive career, she is also a caring mother and a loving wife.

Leavitt, known for her strong conservative beliefs and love for guns, held her first White House briefing on Tuesday. During this briefing, she took jabs at the “legacy media” and announced that social media influencers and content creators would be allowed to attend her briefings.

She confidently stated that “sanity has been restored” and that “Trump is everywhere again,” quickly becoming a favorite in the Trump administration.

Leavitt is also gaining attention for her fashion sense, looking stunning in a berry-colored two-piece suit with a belted back during her briefing. She made a splash at her swearing-in ceremony, wearing a beautiful gray-blue coat.

Originally from New Hampshire, she ran for the U.S. House to represent New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District in 2022. While many people are learning about her professional achievements, not much is known about her personal life, including her husband, Nicholas Riccio, who is 32 years older than her. Here, FEMAIL explores Riccio’s journey from humble beginnings to being married to Trump’s press secretary.

Karoline Leavitt made a name for herself by becoming the youngest press secretary in the country at just 27 years old.

She is not only a high achiever in her career but also a caring mother and a supportive wife to her husband, Nicholas Riccio, who is 59.

So, who is Nicholas Riccio and how did they first meet?

Nicholas, 59, started his own real estate company called Riccio Enterprises LLC and now manages beachfront properties in New Hampshire, where they both live.

Even though he runs a successful business today, Nicholas didn’t always have a secure home. According to the Portsmouth Herald, he was homeless at 18 and had to depend on friends for basic needs.

“I would call my friends to hang out just so I could take a shower,” Riccio shared with the local newspaper back in 2005.

He went to Plymouth State University and began his real estate career after finishing a course in 1990.

Details about how Karoline and Nicholas met are scarce, as there aren’t many posts about him on her social media, and he doesn’t seem to have a public profile.

The List suggested that they might have met when Karoline was running for Congress in New Hampshire’s first district in 2022, and Nicholas was part of her campaign finance team. Some of his properties have also hosted events like Women for Trump, which Karoline attended.

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She also made waves after donning a gorgeous gray-blue coat to her swearing in ceremony

It’s unclear when they officially tied the knot, but the press secretary has ‘wife’ in her Instagram bio and appears to wear a wedding band

It’s unknown how the couple met, with few posts of Riccio on Leavitt’s social media account, and he doesn’t appear to have a public account of his own

When did the couple get married?

Karoline Leavitt shared the exciting news of her engagement to her real estate mogul partner on Christmas Day in 2023 through an Instagram post.

While it’s not clear when they actually got married, her press secretary’s Instagram bio now says ‘wife,’ and she seems to be wearing a wedding ring.

In July 2024, the couple welcomed their first son, Nicholas ‘Niko’ Robert. Leavitt expressed that it was the ‘best moment in her life.’

In her post, she wrote, ‘It’s true when they say there’s nothing like the love you feel for your child,’ and included a bunch of adorable pictures.

She added, ‘My heart has grown bigger than I ever thought possible. Babies are the ultimate blessing, and I’m so grateful for our beautiful, happy, healthy boy.’

Leavitt was on maternity leave when Donald Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania, which made her rush back to work just four days after giving birth.

From the campaign trail to the White House: A day with Karoline Leavitt.

Riccio is a doting dad to baby Nico

In October, Leavitt chatted with The Conservateur about balancing being a mom with her busy job.

She expressed her gratitude for Riccio and his adaptable work hours, which allowed him to look after Nico while she was at work.

“Having to leave the baby every day for work really hurts,” Leavitt shared.

She also mentioned, “It’s super tough on so many levels—emotionally, physically, and spiritually.”