White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, has been accused of using digital editing tools to make her husband, Nicholas Riccio, 60, appear younger in a recent Instagram post. The photo, taken at the White House Halloween celebration, shows the couple with their one-year-old son.
Social media users pointed out inconsistencies, noting that Riccio's face appeared smoother than his hands, which they described as looking older. One commenter wrote: 'The guy on the left seems to have only his face photoshopped. His hands look like 60+ years old.' Another added: 'Old man hands blow your cover up Karoline.'
However, a comparison with wire photos from Getty Images taken at the same event shows Riccio's facial appearance is nearly identical, though with more skin detail. There is no clear evidence that his facial shape was altered, though lighting and colour adjustments may have been applied.
Leavitt has previously described her relationship with Riccio, who is 32 years her senior, as 'very atypical'. The couple became engaged in late 2023, welcomed their son in July 2024, and married in January 2025. Leavitt has said she was initially apprehensive about the age gap but that they fell in love.
The White House press secretary rarely discusses her personal life publicly, though she has called Riccio her 'greatest supporter' and 'rock'. The controversy comes as Leavitt continues to face scrutiny over her role in the Trump administration.
