Newsflash: Karoline Leavitt's Age Gap With Her Husband Is NBD
When I first saw Karoline Leavitt behind the podium in the press briefing room on January 28, 2025, my first thought was that she was well-spoken. She definitely appeared more self-assured than her predecessor, Karine Jean-Pierre. She confidently greeted reporters and answered the first question without any obvious tell-tale signs of first-time jitters. Jean-Pierre used to blink nervously while she fielded questions. Leavitt, on the other hand, didn't glance down once, except when she read from her prepared statement. It was impressive, especially given that, at 27, she was the youngest White House press secretary in history.
What I did not know at the time, however, was that Leavitt had recently gotten married to a man more than three decades her senior. When I first stumbled upon this tidbit of information, I was surprised but not shocked — large age gaps are not only common in Trumpland, but also in Hollywood. The internet, however, seemed determined to hound Leavitt. You can't entirely blame pundits. A 32-year age gap is significant, even in the MAGA world. Leavitt's husband, real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, is also millionaire. Melania Trump had to field criticism when she married the much older, richer Donald Trump. "They don't know me," she said of critics who accused her of gold digging in a 1999 ABC News interview. Perhaps we don't know Karoline Leavitt as well as we think we do either. And perhaps her ginormous age gap with her husband should be the least of our concerns.
Having an older husband is the norm in MAGA world
Age gaps between politicians and their spouses are always a hot topic. It's something else detractors can bring up in a debate and makes for some juicy headlines. Karoline Leavitt just got the brunt of it because she happens to have outdone even the president in this department.
Other MAGA couples also significantly differ in age though. Donald Trump Jr. used to date Kimberly Guilfoyle, who was eight years older than him. Then he moved on with Bettina Anderson, who is nine years his junior. Then there's Matt Gaetz, who has a 12-year age gap with his wife, Ginger Gaetz (she's the youngest). Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s wife, Cheryl Hines, is 11 years his junior. It appears that in MAGA land, couples strive for double digits when it comes to their age difference. Leavitt just happened to outdo all of them as far as the actual number is concerned.
Leavitt actually addressed the drama on "The Megyn Kelly Show" in February 2025. When asked if Nicholas Riccio's age initially seemed like a hurdle, Leavitt replied, "Of course!" She said they had a "very atypical love story," but that they just work. "He is my greatest supporter, he's my best friend, he's my rock," she told Kelly. She praised Riccio's support of her career and for being an incredible father to their baby son. And frankly, Leavitt's atypical love story, as she put it, shouldn't be the public's main focus.
Leavitt's age gap with her husband is no big deal, but her constant lying to the public is
Like so many in Donald Trump's inner circle, Karoline Leavitt seems to have abandoned her morals in exchange for a White House job. Believe it or not, she offered some praise to former Vice President Mike Pence in 2021 when he certified the 2020 election results despite Donald Trump's insistence that it had been rigged.
Needless to say, Leavitt is a devout election denier these days. More than that, she's Trump's mouthpiece, which means she's fluent in deception. From claiming that Trump dropping bombs on Iran's nuclear facilities was the greatest feat ever accomplished by a sitting president to outright lying to the public about the effects of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, Leavitt hasn't been the picture of transparency, despite constantly claiming to be. She told reporters that the subsequent $3.4 trillion the budget bill is projected to add to the national debt is balderdash. "This bill does not add to the deficit," she said. "There's $1.6 trillion worth of savings in this bill" (via The New Republic). A report published by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says otherwise. Where did Leavitt get her numbers? From Trump, probably.
I wonder whether Leavitt has realized that, at 27, she's ruined her reputation. Anyone who's not a MAGA diehard can see that she peddles untruths on a daily basis. But I have a feeling she'll still manage to land on her feet.