RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Karoline Leavitt is stepping down as White House press secretary at the end of the month, ending her historic tenure as the youngest person ever to hold the job.
Her departure reshapes the communications operation inside a volatile, high‑stakes Trump White House, where messaging discipline and loyalty are treated as core infrastructure.
The move also shifts attention to her family—particularly her husband, Nicholas Riccio—as Leavitt cites motherhood and the demands of raising two young children as the reason for her exit, prompting questions about what comes next for her, her household, and the administration.
Leavitt announced that she “cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary,” according to her statement on X.
President Trump praised her as “one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office,” and said she will transition into an outside advisory role.
Nicholas Riccio is a New Hampshire real estate developer who has spent decades quietly building a substantial property portfolio while avoiding political visibility. Raised in Hudson, New Hampshire, Riccio grew up in a financially unstable household and experienced homelessness as a teenager. He later put himself through Plymouth State University, working grocery‑store shifts and borrowing money to stay afloat.
His real estate career began in the early 2000s after he noticed clusters of neglected buildings along Hampton Beach. Riccio took a real estate course, fell in love with the industry, and began buying distressed properties one at a time. Over the years, he became known locally for revitalizing rundown neighborhoods, particularly along M Street, where he purchased and renovated multiple condemned or aging structures.
Despite his wife’s high‑profile political career, Riccio has maintained a low public profile. He rarely appears at official events and is described by Leavitt as “very introverted” and deeply focused on family life. She has repeatedly credited him with being an “incredibly hands‑on father” and a stabilizing force amid the chaos of Washington.
Leavitt and Riccio have a 32‑year age difference—she is 28, and he is 60. Their relationship began in 2022 when she was 25 and campaigning for Congress. Leavitt has openly acknowledged that the age gap initially gave her pause, calling their romance “very unusual” and “a very atypical love story.”
She has said the age difference made telling her parents “a challenging conversation,” but that once they met Riccio and saw his character, the relationship quickly became accepted. Today, she describes their family dynamic as “typical,” emphasizing mutual respect between Riccio and her parents.
Public scrutiny of the age gap intensified after Leavitt entered the White House briefing room in January 2025. She has pushed back on criticism, saying Riccio’s maturity, stability, and support have been essential to her career. In interviews, she has called him her “greatest supporter,” “best friend,” and “rock.”
Riccio’s real estate holdings have produced an estimated net worth of around $6 million, according to reporting cited in the documents. His company, Riccio Enterprises, owns more than a dozen rental properties across New Hampshire, Boston, and the White Mountains. Property records show at least 10 homes registered under his LLC, ranging from $5,500 fixer‑uppers to $400,000 coastal rentals.
His financial success has played a significant role in the couple’s dynamic. Leavitt has said his established business allowed him to fully support her political ambitions, including helping fund her 2022 congressional campaign. His flexible schedule also enabled him to take on more childcare responsibilities, giving Leavitt the bandwidth to pursue demanding roles in Trump’s campaign and, later, in the White House.
Riccio’s background—rising from homelessness to multimillion‑dollar property ownership—has also shaped his reputation in New Hampshire, where he is seen as a local figure who invests in neglected communities.
Leavitt and Riccio welcomed their first child, Niko, on July 10, 2024. The birth came just three days before the July 13 assassination attempt on Donald Trump , prompting Leavitt to cut her maternity leave short and return to work.
Their second child, Viviana (“Vivi”), was born on May 1, 2026. Leavitt had already begun maternity leave but briefly returned to the podium following the April 25 active‑shooter evacuation at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. She later described Vivi’s arrival as ushering in a “blissful newborn bubble.”
Motherhood—and the strain of balancing two young children with a nonstop job—became central to her decision to step down.
Leavitt said the decision stemmed from an emotional realization after returning from maternity leave: she could not simultaneously meet the demands of the job and be the mother she wants to be. The press secretary role requires constant availability, crisis response, and daily briefings—conditions she described as “the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life.”
In her statement, she wrote that she “cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve” while fulfilling the job’s around‑the‑clock obligations. She emphasized that the choice was “bittersweet” but necessary.
Leavitt will remain politically active, becoming one of Trump’s top outside advisers and continuing to serve as a prominent MAGA voice.
Trump announced her departure on Truth Social, calling her decision “a choice I totally understand and respect.” He praised her as “one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office” and “one of my most trusted aides.”
He also said she would remain “an influential voice withi...
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