Karoline Leavitt, 28, Admits 32-Year Age Gap With Husband Nicholas Riccio, 60, Is 'Very Unusual' After Couple Faced Vicious Backlash
Karoline Leavitt and her husband have received criticism for their age gap.
Nov. 28 2025, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Donald Trump's White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt got very candid about the massive age gap between herself and her sexagenarian husband, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Leavitt is 28, while her husband, Nicholas Riccio, is 60. The pair got engaged over the Christmas holiday in 2023 and married on January 4 at Wentworth By The Sea Country Club in New Castle, New Hampshire.
32-Year Age Gap Backlash
Leavitt and her husband, Riccio, welcomed their son in July 2024.
Pod Force One host Miranda Devine noted to Leavitt during their November 23 podcast episode, "I think he's 32 years older than you, which is unusual, but you're a very mature person, so probably could you not find boys your own age who are as mature?"
Leavitt replied: "Honestly, no. If you want to know the truth, he is an amazing guy, and we met during my congressional campaign," referring to her unsuccessful run for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District in 2022."
"A friend of mine who owns a restaurant is also a mutual friend of my husband's, and he invited my husband to my event at his restaurant, and we met, and we were acquainted as friends for quite some time, but then of course we fell in love, and here we are today. We're married with a beautiful baby, and he is just an amazing guy," the White House operative gushed.
The couple welcomed their son, Nicholas Robert Riccio, nicknamed "Niko," in July 2024.
'Self-Made Man'
Leavitt revealed her husband is very private and stays away from social media.
"He's very introverted, unlike me. Yes. He stays behind the scenes. He's not on social media. He's very private," Leavitt noted about her husband.
The blonde beauty gushed about how Riccio's flourishing career allows him to be supportive of her as the White House's spokeswoman.
"He's a self-made man, which I respect. Successful real estate business back home. And you know, he's built his career. And so he's in a place where he can support me with mine," she explained.
Supportive Spouse
Leavitt said her husband watches all of her White House press briefings.
"He's an incredibly hands-on father. He and my son are just the best of friends. And he's home almost every day with our boy. And he's just an amazing guy," Leavitt raved.
"And he is my number one fan. He watches every interview, every press briefing. He'll be watching this podcast, and he's just awesome. We have a lot of fun together, too.
When asked about how her parents reacted to her bringing home "a guy who's almost as the same age as my dad," Leavitt revealed, "It was a challenging conversation."
"Once they got to know him and saw who he is as a man and his character and how much he adores me, I think it became quite easy for them," she beamed.
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Leavitt shared a rare photo of her husband on Thanksgiving Day.
"Now we're all friends," Leavitt said about her relationship with her husband and her parents.
"I mean, it's a typical family relationship. And my husband has such respect for my parents and the way that they raised me. And we all have a lot of fun together when they come to visit."
Leavitt shared a rare look at her home life in a series of Instagram Stories over Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27.
Over a photo of Riccio carving up the bird in their kitchen, she cheered, "My handsome hubs cuttin the turkey."
