Karoline Leavitt, 28, Trolled by Critics Over Massive Age Gap With Husband Nicholas Riccio, 60 — 'It's So Disgusting'
Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio posed together ahead of the White House Correspondents Dinner.
July 28 2026, Published 3:42 p.m. ET
Karoline Leavitt brought her husband, Nicholas Riccio, as her date to the White House Correspondents' Dinner but ended up getting trolled by critics over their 32-year-age difference, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Some people claimed Riccio, 60, looked more like her "father" or even "grandfather" in a picture Leavitt, 28, shared of the couple posing in the White House's Oval Office ahead of the July 24 event.
Karoline Leavitt Sat in Melania Trump's Chair
Karoline Leavitt sat next to the president at the July 24 WHCA dinner, after Melania Trump sat out.
Leavitt kicked off her Instagram post with a snapshot of herself posing at the dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C.
A second photo showed the White House Press Secretary seated to Trump's right on the dais where his wife, Melania, sat at the first WHCA dinner before the gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, exchanged fire with Secret Service members.
The first lady didn't attend the most recent affair.
The third picture revealed Leavitt and Riccio's full outfits. The blonde decked out in a sky blue lace top and matching wide-leg trousers, while her husband sported a tuxedo.
'You Look Great With Your Father'
Karoline Leavitt was trolled by critics over her age gap with husband Nicholas Riccio.
While many in the comments section told Leavitt she looked amazing after giving birth to the couple's second child in May, others pointed out the pair's age difference.
"You look great with your father!" one user snarked.
"Your husband is old enough to be a grandparent to your children," a second person scoffed.
"Your father looks good for his age," a third quipped, while a fourth called the age gap, "so disgusting."
However, a fifth follower said, "Karoline's husband is a very handsome man. It's no one's business that she married an older man. She is happy."
Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio Just Welcomed Baby No. 2
Karoline Leavitt became a mom for the second time in May 2026.
As Radar previously reported, Riccio and Leavitt welcomed daughter Viviana, aka "Vivi," on May 1.
"Our hearts instantly exploded with love," Leavitt shared via Instagram while announcing the birth.
The couple also shares son Nicholas "Niko" Robert Riccio, who was born in July 2024.
"She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble," she added. "Thank you to everyone who reached out with prayers during my pregnancy – I truly felt them throughout the entire experience."
Karoline Leavitt's Husband Is Nearly as Old as Her Father
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Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio started dating in 2022.
Leavitt and Riccio, a successful real estate developer, first connected in 2022 during her unsuccessful bid for Congress in New Hampshire.
"We met during my congressional campaign," the White House operative gushed to Pod Force One host Miranda Devine in November 2025. "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 couple married on January 4, 2025, just before Trump, 80, was sworn in to a second term as president.
Still, Leavitt admitted it was a "challenging conversation" when she brought home a man who is almost the same age as her dad to meet her parents.
"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 explained.
