Nicholas Riccio: Age, Children & Marriage to Karoline Leavitt

When Karoline Leavitt stepped into the White House briefing room as the youngest press secretary in U.S. history, many Americans became just as curious about her personal life as her press briefings. One question kept surfacing: Who is the man she married, Nicholas Riccio? A real estate developer from New Hampshire and father of two, Riccio is 32 years older than Leavitt — a gap she has said was “challenging at first.” Here’s what we know about the couple’s relationship, family, and how they navigate public scrutiny.

Age: 60 (as of 2026) ·
Children: 2 ·
Profession: Real estate developer ·
Spouse: Karoline Leavitt ·
Age gap: 32 years older

Eight facts about Nicholas Riccio, one pattern: his public profile is drawn almost entirely from his wife’s career and family milestones — he remains a deliberately private figure.

How much older is Karoline Leavitt’s husband?

How old is Nicholas Riccio?

Nicholas Riccio was born in 1965, making him 60 years old as of 2026, according to The Daily Beast. His wife, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, is 28. That’s a 32-year age gap — a number multiple outlets including the South China Morning Post have confirmed.

How old was Nicholas Riccio when he got married?

The couple reportedly married in January 2025, days before Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to Realtor.com. At that time Riccio was 59 or 60 (depending on his birthday); Leavitt was 27.

How old is Karoline Leavitt’s baby daddy?

The same age as her husband — 60 as of 2026. The phrase “baby daddy” has circulated in tabloid coverage, but Leavitt and Riccio were married before their first child was born.

The implication: The age gap isn’t just a talking point — it shapes how the couple navigates family dynamics and public perception. Leavitt’s willingness to address it directly may blunt some of the criticism, but the size of the gap ensures it remains a defining feature of their story.

How many children does Nicholas Riccio have?

What are the names and ages of his children?

Nicholas Riccio and Karoline Leavitt have two children. Their first child, a son named Nicholas Robert (nicknamed Niko), was born on July 10, 2024, as reported by People. Their second child, a daughter named Viviana, arrived on May 1, 2026, according to a subsequent People report. Leavitt announced Viviana’s birth via social media in early May 2026.

The pattern: Both children were born before Leavitt turned 30, and the timing of the second pregnancy — while she was serving as press secretary — underscores how she is balancing a high-profile government role with a growing family.

How did Nicholas Riccio meet Karoline?

When and where did they meet?

Leavitt and Riccio met through mutual friends or professional circles, according to a People profile. No precise date has been confirmed. The relationship became public around the time of their engagement over the 2023 Christmas holiday. They married in January 2025 — just before Leavitt stepped into her role as press secretary.

How long did they date before marriage?

Based on the engagement timeline, they likely dated for at least a year or two before the 2023 engagement, but neither Leavitt nor Riccio has shared a specific timeline. The couple kept their courtship largely out of the public eye until after the engagement.

What this means: The lack of a concrete “how we met” narrative leaves room for speculation, but the couple’s decision to keep those details private is consistent with Riccio’s overall low public profile.

Who Is Karoline Leavitt’s Husband?

What is Nicholas Riccio’s occupation?

Nicholas Riccio is a real estate developer who runs Riccio Enterprises, a company that manages beachfront properties in New Hampshire, per The Daily Beast. He is not a large-scale developer — his portfolio appears focused on coastal rental and vacation properties in the Granite State. He grew up in Hudson, New Hampshire, a small town south of Manchester, and attended Plymouth State University, according to The Daily Beast. Details about his earlier life — beyond these two facts — are scarce.

What is his educational background?

Riccio studied at Plymouth State University, but his major or degree is not publicly known. No information about postgraduate education has surfaced.

The catch: Despite being married to the White House press secretary, Riccio’s professional and educational history remains almost entirely opaque. No interviews, no personal website, no social media presence — a deliberate void that contrasts sharply with his wife’s high visibility.

Is Karoline Leavitt’s dad older than her husband?

Where is Karoline Leavitt’s family from?

Leavitt’s family roots are in New Hampshire. Her father, Robert Leavitt, is a retired firefighter from the same region. Although Robert Leavitt’s exact age has not been made public, multiple sources note he appears similar in age to Riccio. The Daily Beast reported that Riccio is about five years older than Leavitt’s mother, who was born in 1970. That means Robert Leavitt is likely in his late 50s or early 60s — older than Riccio, but not by much.

How old is Karoline Leavitt’s father?

Not publicly known. The overlap in ages between Riccio and Leavitt’s parents is what made the initial “meet the parents” conversation awkward, as Leavitt herself acknowledged: “It was weird telling my parents I’m dating a guy who is 32 years older than me.”

Why this matters: The age gap isn’t just about the couple — it ripples through family interactions, something Leavitt has been candid about. The fact that her husband is closer in age to her parents than to her is a dynamic that shapes public fascination with the marriage.

“It was challenging at first.”

— Karoline Leavitt, on telling her parents about her relationship with Nicholas Riccio, as reported by Realtor.com

Leavitt welcomed her second child with a social media post saying “Welcome to the world, little one” as reported by People.

Nicholas Riccio remains one of the most private figures adjacent to the White House. He doesn’t give interviews, doesn’t post on social media, and hasn’t made any public statements about his wife’s political career. For a nation curious about the man who married the youngest press secretary in history, the available facts are few — but what is known paints a picture of a deliberately low-key family man. For journalists and the public alike, the choice is clear: either respect that privacy or keep chasing details that aren’t there.