Press Secretary Faces Backlash Over Edited Halloween Photos
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, has found herself at the centre of a social media storm this weekend after followers accused her of digitally altering her husband's appearance in recent Instagram posts. The controversy emerged following Halloween celebrations where Leavitt shared family photographs that appeared significantly different from those taken by professional press photographers.
The Airbrushing Allegations Emerge
The political aide, who holds the distinction of being the youngest press secretary in American history, originally posted snaps from their family's Halloween outing, where they took their 16-month-old son Niko, dressed as a pumpkin, for trick-or-treating at The White House. However, sharp-eyed social media users quickly noticed discrepancies between Leavitt's version of events and images captured by press photographers.
Her Instagram page soon flooded with comments directly addressing the apparent editing. 'The airbrushing of your hub's face to make him appear younger was the trick,' one commenter pointedly wrote. Another observer noted, '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.'
Leavitt, who boasts more than 2.6 million followers on the platform, has maintained silence regarding the criticism and hasn't confirmed whether any photos underwent editing before being shared with her substantial audience.
Husband's Face Mysteriously Hidden in Subsequent Posts
In what many interpreted as a response to the controversy, Leavitt's Instagram stories on Sunday night appeared to deliberately conceal her husband's face while recapping her weekend activities. Among various domestic scenes—including baking cinnamon rolls after church attendance and watching football with their son on the couch—the press secretary shared a photograph of baby Niko lying on a bed.
In this particular image, her husband Nicholas Riccio, 60, could be seen holding a toy for their child, yet his face remained conspicuously cropped from the frame. Followers also caught only a glimpse of men's shoes in another church perspective shot, while Leavitt focused predominantly on images of herself preparing dinner for their son and their already-erected Christmas tree.
Another photograph featured the press secretary posing for a mirror selfie with her son smiling happily on her hip, continuing the pattern of keeping her husband's visage out of the latest posts.
An Unconventional Love Story
Leavitt has generally maintained privacy regarding her personal life despite her high-profile position. She previously revealed during an interview with Megyn Kelly that she met Riccio during her congressional campaign in 2022. 'I met my husband during my Congressional Campaign,' she shared. '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.'
When Kelly directly questioned whether the 32-year age gap gave her pause, Leavitt acknowledged initial doubts but emphasised the strength of their relationship. 'Yes, of course. I mean it's a very atypical love story but he's incredible,' she gushed. 'He is my greatest supporter, he's my best friend and he's my rock.'
The political aide further explained that Riccio's established business success—he founded Riccio Enterprises LLC and manages beachfront properties in New Hampshire—enables him to fully support her career ambitions. This support proves particularly valuable as Leavitt navigates the challenges of motherhood alongside her demanding White House role.
In an October interview with The Conservateur, Leavitt admitted the emotional difficulty of 'leaving the baby every day to go to work,' while expressing gratitude for her husband's flexible schedule that allows him to care for Niko during her working hours. She described juggling motherhood with her fast-paced position as 'incredibly challenging emotionally, physically, spiritually.'
