MIND THE GAP

Karoline Leavitt, 29, Defends Age Gap With Husband, 61

The former White House press secretary made rare remarks on social media about her age-gap relationship.

Karoline Leavitt has a message for the “haters” of her age-gap relationship.

The former White House press secretary, 29, defended the 32-year age gap with her real estate developer husband Nicholas Riccio, 61, as she fielded questions from her followers on her Instagram stories Wednesday.

Leavitt covered everything from her makeup routine to her relationship with her former boss, President Donald Trump, after encouraging followers to ask her questions during a full day of travel.

“What advice would you give for girls in age-gap relationships? My husband is 15 years older,” one question read.

Leavitt responded with a photo of her and her husband, dropping nuggets of wisdom about love.

“Forget the haters and follow your heart!” she wrote. “Marrying this man was the best decision I ever made. He’s the absolute best husband and dad in the world. Everyone gets why we are together when they actually meet him and see us together.”

The couple met in 2022 when Leavitt was 25 and running for Congress in New Hampshire. They got married in January 2025, just before she started her high-profile role as Trump’s mouthpiece.

They share two children: Niko, two, and Viviana, born in May. Leavitt made the bombshell decision to depart the Trump administration in August to focus on her budding family.

During her last day on the job, Leavitt gave a rare shout-out to her partner for watching their young children while she was at the White House.

“He has been just an angel and a blessing to me and my kids, really has given up a lot to move to D.C., a town he’s unfamiliar with, took a step back from his own career to be here for me and support me,” she said at the time.

Leavitt is set to join Fox News as an on-air contributor in November. In the meantime, she has been busy being a doting mom.

“What do you do in your free time?” one follower asked her on Wednesday.

“Ha ha,” Leavitt responded. “I don’t have free time. As a mom of two littles, I’m lucky if I can take a shower in peace. But it’s the season of life I’m in and I wouldn’t have it any other way!!!!”

Another follower asked, “Is Trump nice/kind?”

“Yes! He’s the best boss,” she replied. “People don’t see this side of him because the media doesn’t show it but he has been nothing but kind and uplifting to me, even since departing. He’s also hilarious. Love him!”

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The Instagram Q&A came just a day after Leavitt’s replacement, Katie Zacharia, bombed her debut as White House press secretary.

ROUGH START

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Zacharia’s 14-minute press briefing on Tuesday was marked by awkward pauses and uncomfortable smiles as she read prepared remarks with a bizarre inflection, then fielded questions from only three reporters, all from conservative news outlets.

One White House official later said staff was “missing Karoline today,” according to CNN’s Alayna Treene.

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