Photos Of Karoline Leavitt And Her Husband That Call Out Her Age Gap Marriage

Although there are more than a few MAGA women with eyebrow raising marriages, one that really stands out is White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's marriage to Nicholas Riccio. Not only is Riccio 32 years older than Leavitt; he is also five years older than Leavitt's mom. If that weren't enough, the two met when Leavitt was only 24. They began dating when she was 25.

"It's definitely a challenging conversation to have at first," Leavitt told Miranda Devine in November 2025 on the Pod Force One podcast. "But 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, and now we're all friends," Leavitt explained. While that may be the case behind the scenes, it's still hard to ignore the major age gap that this political couple has — especially in photos of them together. It's not just how much Leavitt could easily be mistaken for Riccio's daughter, but the generational gap in the way they dress and present themselves is huge.

While anyone who's been in love will be quick to point out that age is just a number and they'd be right, there's things to consider. For example, Leavitt being accused of photoshopping an Instagram picture of her husband to make him appear younger — although she forgot to touch-up his hand — suggests she may not be 100% onboard with the age difference. If that's Leavitt's concern, she could help Riccio with his wardrobe, because he's serving major old man vibes.

When Karoline Leavitt and her husband attended Halloween at the White House, she opted for a black leather dress, while Nicholas Riccio wore a suit, of all things. But, more importantly, this is the photo for which Leavitt was accused of allegedly de-aging Riccio's face. Per The Independent, some Instagram users claimed his smooth skin looked unnatural for his age, especially given how the rest of him looked. One user wrote, "Old man hands blow your cover up Karoline. Your husband's face does not match his hands." It's a glaring detail that can't be overlooked, because why hide the facts? 

In February 2026, Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio attended a wedding together and were a bit mismatched in their attire. On one hand, we have Leavitt rocking a full-length red gown that perfectly complements her baby belly. Then on the other hand, there's Riccio wearing a tuxedo that desperately needs tailoring. When younger men wear suits, most of them go for a slim pant leg trend, à la J.Crew style, that's hemmed to right above the shoe so it doesn't bunch up, as Riccio's pant legs are doing here. This small detail alone brings attention to their age-gap marriage, as it shows Riccio is very out of touch with the times.

Toward the end of 2023, Karoline Leavitt posted a reel of highlights from the year on her social media accounts. One of those moments was this photo of she and Nicholas Riccio at a sporting event. Leavitt is absolutely dressed like a typical twenty-something, sporting short-shorts, crop top, and ankle boots. Meanwhile, Nicholas Riccio is wearing what some might call an old man ensemble, donning khakis and a polo shirt in plain neutral colors. 

When Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio rolled into Mar-a-Lago in early 2026, Leavitt wore an LBD that proved the iconic versatility of the look. In contrast, her husband looked like he just strolled off the set of "Goodfellas" — a film that takes place throughout the 1960s and 1970s. While the cut of Riccio's pants are more in style than that of his tux's pants, between the plaid suit and mint green tie against the white shirt, it's clear Riccio is from another decade. And that decade was a long time ago.

What's interesting about this photo from 2023 of Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio, isn't just their contrasting outfits, again with each one dressing their age, but their presentation. In true Gen Z form, Leavitt is doing the lean-and-glance technique, while also accentuating her figure by arching her back. Riccio doesn't appear to be posing at all, but just sort of standing there, looking stiff and uncomfortable, something that might have to do with the "be a man" mentality to which his generation was subjected. Being colorful with his pose would be off-brand for the era Riccio grew up in.

When Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio hit the beach in July 2025, their attire spoke volumes. Although it's obvious that Leavitt is wearing a red bikini, it's the crochet beach cover-up that's popular with Gen Z that's hard to ignore. Because of this fashion choice on her part, the age difference between the two becomes even more apparent, as Riccio is dressed like someone on the verge of retirement with yet another polo shirt and shorts. In fact, if we didn't know these two were in a relationship, it would be easy to assume this is a father and daughter posing for a photo while on a family holiday.

While there's definitely an allure to a good pinstripe outfit, Nicholas Riccio's suit for a March 2025 visit to see Karoline at work only reminded us of how much older he is than his wife. The style was a hallmark of 1970s men's fashions, and though it's been making a comeback in 2026, when paired alongside Leavitt's trendy pale blue pantsuit, it looks out of place.