Political Tribune

Donald Trump, Opinion, Politics

Karoline Leavitt’s Latest D.C. Outing Has Everyone Talking About Her Husband

A monument and a mystery

571
571 points

Karoline Leavitt is on maternity leave, away from the White House podium and apparently determined to stay in the public conversation regardless. On June 5, while still recovering from the birth of her daughter Viviana, she posted a family photo on X from a trip to what she called “the Lincoln Monument” to see Trump’s new reflecting pool.

There were two problems. The first was the caption. The second was the husband.

Leavitt wrote: “We took a family trip to the Lincoln Monument tonight to check out the new reflecting pool. Absolutely stunning. DC is so beautiful again, just in time for our Nation’s 250th. Thank you, President Trump!!”

The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial are two separate structures. Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary whose job involves communicating accurate information to the American public, mixed them up in a social media post. One X user responded: “The Washington Monument is opposite the Lincoln Memorial. What is your job again?”

Standing beside her was her husband Nicholas Riccio, 60. Leavitt is 28. The 32-year age gap between them has been a recurring subject of online commentary throughout her public career, and the Washington Monument post did not produce a different result.

“So nice of you to take your father with you,” one X user commented.

“How nice,” wrote another. “Did you hide the motorized cart you used to get Grandpa to the top?”

A third asked: “Is that a stroller or is it your husband’s walker?”

A fourth went with: “Did you help your grandpa up the steps?”

The age-gap commentary has followed Leavitt for years, and this latest post was hardly an exception. When she attended the White House Easter Egg Roll with Riccio in April, replies again focused largely on the difference in their ages rather than the event itself.

A few months earlier, photos from a wedding they attended together produced much the same reaction. At a White House Halloween event, some followers even accused Leavitt of digitally de-aging Riccio’s face in a photo.

The conversation has also extended well beyond photos.

When Leavitt stepped away from the White House podium in April to give birth, Reddit users began speculating about whether she would return at all. Some suggested a move to Fox News was more likely than a return to the briefing room.

One Redditor wrote: “Gonna need to have more time to take care of her new baby… And her elderly husband…”

Another offered: “She should just retire, she’s got two sets of diapers to deal with.”

For anyone keeping score at home, Leavitt’s mother is 55 and her father is 66. Riccio, at 60, is older than her mother by five years.

Featured image via X screengrab 

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Terry Lawson

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Terry is an editor and political writer based in Alabama. Over the last five years, he’s worked behind the scenes as a ghostwriter for a range of companies, helping shape voices and tell stories that connect. Now at Political Tribune, he writes sharp political pieces and edits with a close eye on clarity and tone. Terry’s work is driven by strong storytelling, attention to detail, and a clear sense of purpose. He’s skilled in writing, editing, and project management — and always focused on getting the message right. You can find him on X at https://x.com/TerryNotTrump.

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