Karoline Leavitt is stepping into the spotlight — and quite literally at that. At just 27, she’s become the youngest White House press secretary in history and eager to prove she belongs in Donald Trump’s media defense squad. But with her new role comes relentless scrutiny, and it’s not just about her qualifications. Her love life — specifically, the generous age gap with her husband, Nicholas “Nick” Riccio — is now prime gossip material.

Whether she’s actually equipped for the job remains to be seen, but Trump is fully backing her, giving her a public endorsement as he usually does with his handpicked cronies like Alina Habba. “Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator,” he said in a statement obtained by The Washington Post. “I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium, and help deliver our message to the American People as we Make America Great Again.” Leavitt, who’s already been branded a Kayleigh McEnany wannabe, seems determined to prove her worth. Case in point: she jumped back into work less than a week after giving birth to her son, Nicholas “Niko” Robert Riccio (yes, she named him after her husband). “I felt compelled to be present in this historic moment,” she told The Conservateur. “The president literally put his life on the line to win this election. The least I could do is get back to work quickly.”On the bright side, Riccio — a self-employed businessman — can hop on a plane at a moment’s notice to be wherever she is, baby in tow. Admirable? Maybe. But critics can’t help but fixate on that questionable age gap. The math is hard to ignore: When Leavitt was born, Riccio had already been legally ordering drinks for a decade.

There’s no official record of Nicholas Riccio’s age, but a Sunday Herald feature from 2005 pegged him at 40. Do the math, and that means he was already 32 when Karoline Leavitt was born in 1997. For reference, Donald Trump has a huge age gap with Melania; he was nearly 24 when she was born — so even by Trumpworld standards, this gap is notable. What makes things even more interesting? Riccio wasn’t just some distant admirer — he was reportedly on Leavitt’s finance committee when she ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022. They married in 2023, and in July 2024, they welcomed baby Niko.

Leavitt’s critics, however, cannot let the age gap slide. Every time she posts family photos, the comments section lights up. “You’re [sic] ‘husband’ could be your grandfather. Yet you judge everyone else, disgusting,” one user wrote. “Is that your dad next to you??” questioned another. Over on X, formerly Twitter, the dragging continued. “I wondered how Karoline Leavitt went from failed congressional candidate in NH to Press Secretary but I learned she married a 60 year old so now it all makes sense,” one critic tweeted.

Leavitt, for her part, couldn’t care less. She insists they’re a perfect match. “He doesn’t have social media and he’s an introvert (complete opposite of me),” she shared on Instagram as to why her husband is only rarely seen with her online. “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.”

For someone who didn’t take her husband’s last name (we wonder why) and barely posts him online, Karoline Leavitt sure puts in the effort to convince the world her May-December marriage to Nicholas Riccio is a fairy tale. When they got engaged, she gushed on Instagram, “I get to marry the man of my dreams. I feel SO overwhelmingly BLESSED. Thank you God.”Fast forward to motherhood, and Riccio apparently had no problem encouraging her to get back to work — immediately. The turning point? Both watched Trump’s assassination attempt live on TV. “I looked at my husband and said, ‘Looks like I’m going back to work,'” she said in her chat with The Conservateur. And just like that, she was back on the job four days after welcoming Niko.

Leavitt admits the transition wasn’t easy but insists Riccio has been instrumental in making it work. “I went back to work just days after giving birth. I have learned to multi-task and prioritize my time. I’m also grateful to have an amazing husband and family who help me,” she said, according to the Daily Mail. “Couldn’t do it without them.” But at the end of the day, Leavitt sees it as a sacrifice for something greater. “I remind myself this job is temporary, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and I know one day he will be proud of his mama.” That probably won’t stop the critics — but nice try.