White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, has been busy defending her title and some of the President Donald Trump’s controversial decisions since the MAGA leader’s return to the Oval Office.
The Saint Anselm College graduate’s daily press briefings regularly produce newsworthy quotes, but sometimes fans zoom in on Leavitt’s appearance.
On March 23, a self-described Democrat shared side-by-side images of Leavitt during her days as a college softball player and a recent picture of the Republican political aide on the social networking platform.
The before-and-after photos of the current press secretary drew reactions from social media users wondering if Leavitt underwent rhinoplasty surgery to change her nose.
One person on X posted, “Looks like she’s had a lot of work done for a 27-year-old,” while another X user expressed, “She looked better before.”
A few came to her defense, suggesting Leavitt may have had a good reason for going under the knife if she had done so in her younger days.
“What happened to her new smile? the old one was better,” said one person.
Someone else offered, “I don’t think she had a nose job [to be honest]. I think she got some Botox and filler and better lighting/hair.”
Yet another person suggested, “How do you know she didn’t break it? My mom broke hers twice and it never looked the same. Each time they had to fix it, it was more messed up cuz of the way she broke it.”
Leavitt has not publicly responded to the rumors about her possibly getting surgical work down on her face. However, she has addressed another topic at the center of online gossip.
According to People, she married millionaire real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, 59, shortly before Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025.
Critics zeroed in on Leavitt and Riccio’s 32-year age gap. She was asked about the father of her 8-month-old son during a February 2025 interview with conservative pundit Megyn Kelly.
When Kelly asked her if she had any apprehension about dating a 59-year-old man, Leavitt answered, “I mean it’s a very atypical love story but he’s incredible.”
Riccio proposed to Leavitt during the Christmas holiday season in 2023. The couple welcomed their son, Nicholas “Niko” Riccio, on July 10, 2024, which his mother called the “best moment” of her life.
“It’s true when they say there’s nothing comparable to the love you feel for your child. My heart has grown bigger than I ever imagined possible,” Leavitt voiced on her Instagram account in July 2024.
The ex-MAGA Inc. spokesperson continued, “Babies are the ultimate blessing and I’m bursting with gratitude for our beautiful, happy, healthy boy. Nicholas Robert aka Niko. My son. I love you.”
Leavitt has proudly showed off an estimated $100,000 engagement ring she received from Riccio. Her spouse built his fortune as the founder of Riccio Enterprises which owns over 15 residential buildings in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.
Trump picked Leavitt as his administration’s official mouthpiece in January 2025 following the former “The Apprentice” reality show star’s successful campaign victory for a second, non-consecutive term in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Leavitt became the youngest person in history to hold the press secretary position. Her first two months on the job have been rocky, as journalists have routinely called attention to her pushing inaccurate stories to the American people.
For example, NBC News correspondent Garrett Haake recently challenged Leavitt on her statements about federal judge James Boasberg ordering the Trump Administration to halt the deportation of migrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
Leavitt demeaningly called Boasberg a “Democrat activist” and falsely stated he was appointed by then-President Barack Obama. Haake had to clarify that Republican President Georgie W. Bush originally appointed Boasberg to the D.C. Superior Court in 2002 and elevated by Obama to the U.S. District Court in 2011.
