Karoline Leavitt mocked online for ‘photoshopping’ 60-year-old husband in Halloween pictures

WASHINGTON, DC: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has come under fire on social media after users accused her of airbrushing her husband’s face in a Halloween photo posted to Instagram.

The 28-year-old communications chief shared polished images of herself, her husband Nicholas Riccio, 60, and their 16-month-old son, Niko, dressed in a pumpkin costume. But what caught the public’s attention wasn’t the baby’s outfit, it was Riccio’s seemingly flawless complexion.

Karoline Leavitt accused of airbrushing husband’s face in Halloween photo

Leavitt’s Halloween post, shared on Sunday, November 3, featured the family posing outside a pumpkin-decked White House and later on the steps of Vice President JD Vance’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC.

The post quickly drew thousands of comments suggesting the image had been digitally altered, sparking an online debate about photo editing and authenticity,  particularly from a public official who has often emphasized “transparency” in her communications role.

“The airbrushing of your hub’s face to make him appear younger was the trick,” one Instagram user wrote.

Another added, “Karoline, awesome picture but my friends noticed something: The guy on the left seems to have only his face photoshopped. His hands look like 60+ years old.”

"Nice to Grandpa’s out supporting their families," a user wrote. "what is shitty Photoshop job." One commented, "Old man hands blow your cover up Karoline. Your husband’s face does not match his hands."

"Grandpa husband should learn dye his eyebrows if he’s gonna try and fool anyone that he’s not in his 60's," one joked.  

The photos appeared noticeably different from those captured by press photographers during the same event, which showed Riccio’s more natural features.

Karoline Leavitt opens up about her marriage, age gap, and family life

Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary in US history, has previously discussed her marriage to Riccio and their significant age gap. Speaking on 'The Megyn Kelly Show' in March, she described their relationship as “a very atypical love story.”

“A mutual friend of ours hosted an event at a restaurant that he owns up in New Hampshire and invited my husband,” Leavitt said. “I was speaking. We met and we were acquainted as friends. And then we fell in love.”

The couple welcomed their son, Niko, in July 2024 and married six months later. “He is my greatest supporter, he’s my best friend and he’s my rock,” Leavitt told Kelly. “He’s built a very successful business himself so now he’s fully supportive of me building my success in my career.”

She added, “And he is so supportive, especially during a very chaotic period of life. 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."

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