Comedians and critics alike have taken an interest in Karoline Leavitt’s relationship with her much older husband, and Jimmy Kimmel took the opportunity to weigh in.
The late-night host made a pointed joke implying that Leavitt’s personal life may have affected her appointment as Donald Trump’s press secretary just days after she started working there.
During the January 28, 2025, episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Kimmel acknowledged that Leavitt had achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary. However, the acknowledgment soon turned into parody.
“She’s married to a much older real estate mogul, so you’re hired on that one,” he joked. Kimmel was able to poke fun at Leavitt’s credentials and the 32-year age gap between her and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, with that.
Regardless of one’s political stance, Karoline Leavitt’s resume demonstrates some notable accomplishments. She was one of the most remarkable students he’d ever met, according to the executive director of her alma mater’s New Hampshire Institute of Politics, who spoke with CBS News.
She worked as assistant press secretary to Kayleigh McEnany during the first Trump administration before running for Congress in 2022 at the age of just 25. Regardless of her marital status, it’s hard to argue that she’s unqualified given her experience, and suggesting otherwise seems blatantly sexist.
When Leavitt met her husband, she was already involved in politics.
Given the similar age gap between the president and his wife, it’s easy to compare Karoline Leavitt’s marriage to Donald Trump’s, but it’s crucial to remember that Leavitt had established a political career long before meeting her older husband, Nicholas Riccio.
Before meeting Riccio, at the age of 23, she began her congressional campaign while working as an assistant to Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany. They met at a campaign event at Riccio’s restaurant in New Hampshire, which was hosted by a mutual friend, as she revealed on “The Megyn Kelly Show.” “After meeting and becoming friends, we fell in love,” she said.
In response to a question about their age difference, Leavitt said, “Yes, of course!” But he also praised Riccio’s assistance, joking, “I came into your life, and it’s been a circus ever since.” The circus theme remains relevant, albeit in different contexts, as evidenced by Jimmy Kimmel’s wry quip that Leavitt was “now the leader of the White House.”
