Dating and marrying a man three decades older takes courage, and Karoline Leavitt knows exactly how to handle opinions and trolls. Leavitt is married to Nicholas Riccio, who is 32 years older than her. The two met in 2022 during a congressional campaign and went from friends to lovers.
She gained popularity as the White House press secretary, which also brought increased attention to her personal life. Many netizens trolled her and her husband, calling him names such as ‘grandpa’ and ‘dad.’ However, the couple has remained unbothered by the trolls. They are expecting their second child together after welcoming their first child in July 2024.
Nicholas Riccio and his wife Karoline Leavitt have a son named Nicholas Robert “Niko” Riccio, aged 17 months (born July 2024), and are expecting a baby daughter due in May 2026.
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At first, Leavitt did not publicly open up about her relationship and only posted casually with Nicholas. When she posted their first photo as a couple in December 2023, the couple received support from some followers and criticism from many trolls. Many people called him her grandfather, questioning their age gap. Despite the hateful comments, Leavitt appeared aware of the backlash but still kept the photo on her profile and did not turn off the comments.
Later on, Leavitt posted her wedding photos and again, people flooded the comments saying she “married her grandpa.” One user commented, “Well, he’ll be 94 when she’s 52, so she’ll get to keep feeding babies.” One supporter wrote, “Understanding and love are not tied to age, age is just a number, and what matters more is respect.” Another one added, “Yeah, he will give her the feeling of both father and husband.”
Leavitt also casually addressed her age-gap marriage on The Megyn Kelly Show and how she introduced him to her family. She said, ” Yes, of course! I mean, it’s [a] very atypical love story.”
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Despite the online trolls, Leavitt is never afraid of sharing her family vacation posts. She posted photos from her Palm Beach break in May 2025. Some negative comments did not make Karoline delete the photos or turn off comments.
She also documented the family vacation on Instagram. In one of her Instagram photos, the couple posed with their backs turned to the camera. That may have been a subtle dig at the trolls.
In one Instagram photo, Leavitt shared one from a wedding and another one from the WHCD, where Riccio was her plus one. They both look happy and glowing, ready to welcome their baby. And comments like, “Aww, your grandfather was your date. So cute!” aren’t going to discourage them.
