Karoline Leavitt attributes her 'political success' to husband Nicholas Riccio's real estate empire
WASHINGTON, DC: Karoline Leavitt has been dominating the news cycle ever since President Donald Trump handpicked her as his White House press secretary for his second stint in office.
At just 27 years old, Karoline is officially the youngest press secretary in US history. But according to her, she didn’t do it alone.
In a rare interview, Karoline got candid about the secret weapon behind her meteoric rise—her doting husband Nicholas Riccio.
Nicholas Riccio's real estate empire helped wife Karoline Leavitt significantly
During a recent sit-down on 'The Megyn Kelly Show', Karoline Leavitt gushed about the man who’s been in her corner from day one. And it’s not just emotional support—Nicholas, who’s 32 years her senior, also happens to be sitting on a multimillion-dollar real estate empire.
“He's built a very successful business himself, so now he's fully supportive of me building my success in my career,” Karoline shared, giving credit where it’s due.
With a net worth estimated at around $6 million, Nicholas didn’t just cheer from the sidelines—he financially backed Karoline when she ran for a seat in the US House of Representatives in 2022.
When she met Nicholas, she was just 25, and he was 57. Naturally, host Megyn Kelly didn’t shy away from the elephant in the room, asking Karoline if she had any initial reservations.
While Karoline admitted the age difference is “atypical,” she had zero regrets. “He’s the father of my child, and he’s the best dad I could ever ask for. And he is so supportive, especially during a very chaotic period of life,” she explained.
It's worth noting that Riccio didn’t just stumble into his fortune—he built it from the ground up after experiencing homelessness as a young man. Now, he’s a self-made millionaire, a real estate mogul, and also the ultimate husband.
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Karoline credited his financial success for giving her the freedom to chase her political ambitions full throttle. His thriving business meant he could hold down the fort while she juggled press briefings and politics in Washington, D.C.
"I say, 'I walked into your life and it's been a circus ever since,' but God bless him because he's fully on board," she joked.
A campaign that turned into a love story
Karoline Leavitt and Nicholas Riccio’s love story started with a political campaign. While she was running for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st District, a mutual friend invited Nicholas to an event at a restaurant he owned.
"I met my husband during my congressional campaign. A mutual friend of ours hosted an event at a restaurant that he owns up in New Hampshire and invited my husband. I was speaking. We met and we were acquainted as friends. And then we fell in love," she reminisced.
Their whirlwind romance led to an engagement in December of 2023. Karoline debuted her relationship and her stunning engagement ring in an Instagram post featuring Nicholas down on one knee.
Fast forward just over a year, and they made it official in a lavish wedding at the Wentworth By the Sea Country Club in Rye, New Hampshire—just days before Trump’s second inauguration, according to People.
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Their first child Niko arrived on July 10 of last year. But just three days later, the country was rocked when Trump was shot in an assassination attempt in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
Karoline, who was still in the thick of her maternity leave, had no time to linger. “I looked at my husband and said, ‘Looks like I’m going back to work,’” she recalled in an interview with The Conservateur in October.
Luckily, she had Nicholas to pick up the slack at home. Since welcoming their son, she’s been singing his praises as a father. “He's the best dad I could ever ask for,” she gushed to Kelly.
