Karoline Leavitt made history by becoming the youngest Press Secretary of the White House at 27. Even since Donald Trump returned to the office, she has been grabbing eyeballs for her strong media presence. But that’s not the only reason why she remains in the headlines.
Leavitt’s personal life is often dragged as people question her position within the Trump administration. The 27-year-old is often trolled for her marriage with 60-year-old Nicholas Riccio. The couple’s age gap is more than double, and therefore, people often jokingly refer to Riccio as Leavitt’s ‘father’ in the comment section of her Instagram posts.
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However, the couple remains unbothered. Both Riccio and Leavitt have worked hard for their empire. Leavitt’s career graph is widely known among fans of Republicans. She was inclined towards politics since college and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications and politics. She interned at Fox News and the White House Office before she became what she is today!
Her husband, too, has an inspiring career graph. He takes pride in being a self-made millionaire at the age of 60. Riccio used to bag groceries post-college. Talking about his struggles, he once told Portsmouth Herald, “When I was 19 or 20, I would call my buddies to go over [to] their houses to watch a game just so I could take a shower.”
His life started to turn around in 1990 when he took a real estate course. Slowly and gradually, he started making money through real estate. He eventually started his own company called Riccio Enterprises LLC. As per The Mirror, he currently has nine rental homes in New Hampshire through Nautical Beach Rentals. He also has one in West Virginia. Through his real estate investments, he has accumulated an estimated net worth of $6 million.
He now aims to increase his wealth by owing a professional sports team. “My work in real estate has helped facilitate my dream of owning a professional sports team. And that will happen one day in the near future,” he told Seascoast Online.
Trolls have often doubted if Leavitt got her job on her merit. In January, Podcast host Ryan Shead hinted that there could have been other factors in play since her husband is into real-estate, just like the President.
His tweet on January 29 reads, “Karoline Leavitt, 27, married a 60-year-old real estate developer in 2023 and promptly had a child. I’m sure his money had nothing to do with it. At least we know how she got the job now. Nicholas Riccio was 32 when Leavitt was born and 51 when she graduated high school. At least Trump was only 24 when Melania was born, I guess. MAGA is always doing what they accuse everyone else of.”
Karoline Leavitt, 27, married a 60 year old Real Estate developer in 2023 and promptly had a child. I’m sure his money had nothing to do with it.
At least we know how she got the job now.
Nicholas Ricco was 32 when Leavitt was born and 51 when she graduated high school.
At… pic.twitter.com/v5McmsQfnH
— Ryan Shead (@RyanShead) January 29, 2025
To this, someone said, “Pretty sure he must be a major Trump donor.” Another X user wrote, “This makes so much sense now.”
Despite the hate comments, Leavitt and her husband remain focused on improving their lives daily. Riccio proposed to Leavitt on Christmas 2023, and few months later, she announced the birth of their baby. Sharing a picture with her husband and her son, she wrote in her Instagram post, “My family. My world.”
