How Did Karoline Leavitt Meet Her Husband? What We Know

Karoline Leavitt is one of the newest, youngest faces of American politics. She is Donald Trump's new White House press secretary, and she is the youngest person to ever hold the job at 27 years old. Because of her newfound prominence, observers are curious about her personal life, including her marriage to a man 32 years older than her, and her life as a new mom. Leavitt is married to 59-year-old real estate mogul Nicholas Riccio. The two got engaged on Christmas Day 2023 and married in a private ceremony before welcoming their son in July 2024. When announcing their engagement, Leavitt wrote on Instagram, "The best Christmas of my life. I get to marry the man of my dreams. I feel SO overwhelmingly BLESSED. Thank you God." 

It is unknown exactly how and when Leavitt and Riccio met. It's likely that the couple met in New Hampshire, as Riccio started his work there years ago and Leavitt attended college there, according to Newsweek. In a since-deleted comment on Instagram, Leavitt said that the two met through "a mutual friend at a political function" (via Daily Mail). She also ran for office in 2022 (leaving Leavitt with major money problems) and Riccio was on her campaign finance committee.  

Nicholas Riccio went through a lot of transformations before he married Karoline Leavitt. According to The US Sun, Riccio began his career in the early 2000s by renovating homes in the Hampton Beach area of New Hampshire. By 2005, he had acquired 15 buildings with 70 units. Riccio manages a multi-million dollar real estate firm called Riccio Enterprises LLC and now owns several properties along the East Coast. Riccio has come a long way, as he was once homeless.

Unlike his wife, Riccio isn't one to share details or photos of his life with the public. When followers asked Leavitt why her husband is scarcely seen on her social media pages, she replied (via Daily Mail), "'He doesn't have social media and he's an introvert (complete opposite of me)." But she did sing Riccio's praises, saying, "I respect his privacy on here — but he's my number one fan, the best dad, and just the best man I've ever met."

However, some think the couple's lack of social media posts together could be a sign of trouble, one of many red flags in their marriage that are hard to ignore. (Of course, the biggest red flag is the couple's massive age gap.)