WASHINGTON — Political rising star Karoline Leavitt, 27, is no stranger to media attention. But a recent social media video has reignited conversation—not about her policies or press briefings, but about what’s missing from her public image: her husband, 59-year-old real estate developer Nicholas Riccio.

In a tour of her office posted online by influencer Kate Mackz, Leavitt proudly walked viewers through personal mementos displayed on her walls. Among them: a photo with former President Donald Trump, images of her baby, and snapshots from her first press briefing. Also featured were photos with schoolchildren and even a printed-out anti-media meme.

Conspicuously absent? Any sign of her husband.

It seems that whenever Karoline Leavitt dangles her older husband in everyone’s faces, she gets roasted for it. So, it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that PDA moments with her husband Nicholas Riccio are rare. In a recent video, however, 27-year-old Leavitt took things a step further than simply avoiding PDA with her 59-year-old husband; she downright snubbed him.

Influencer Kate Mackz recently joined Leavitt for a tour of the White House that she shared on social media. When Leavitt led Mackz through her office, she showed off some photos she had up on her wall. Leavitt said, “I have obviously photos of myself with the president,” while gesturing to her first photo featuring her posing alongside none other than Donald Trump. Next, she showed off a photo of her with her baby. Lastly, she showed a photo of herself at her first-ever press briefing. She then showed her corkboard, which featured more photos of her baby, her posing with middle school students, and even a printed-out anti-media meme.

Despite Riccio’s success in building a multimillion-dollar real estate business and his role as the father of their child, Leavitt made no mention of him in the video, nor did she showcase any photographs of the couple. For many observers, this omission didn’t go unnoticed—and some took it as a deliberate snub.

Leavitt has previously faced social media criticism when posting about her much older spouse, with some commenters mocking their age gap or likening Riccio to her father. It may explain why she avoids discussing him publicly or displaying photos that could invite scrutiny.

Her discretion has led to speculation about the nature of their relationship. Is Leavitt choosing to protect Riccio from internet ridicule, or is she distancing her political brand from a personal relationship that many already view as unconventional?

On a February 2025 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, Leavitt called her relationship a “very atypical love story” and described Riccio as “incredible.” Still, her continued reluctance to include him in professional settings leaves questions lingering.

Karoline Leavitt’s over-three-decades-older husband has been called some savage nicknames on the rare occasion when she shares evidence of him online. So, it is possible that she does have photos of him up in her office and chose not to show them off on a video for social media to avoid comments about him looking old enough to be her dad. On the other hand, it is also possible that she simply chose not to put up any photos of her husband. And this certainly makes an interesting statement, considering the fact that the photos she chose to display with pride showed her and Donald Trump, her and her baby, and her at work.

While Leavitt’s office walls celebrate Trump, her child, and her career, Riccio remains out of frame—both literally and figuratively. Whether this is a strategic move or a personal preference, it reflects how carefully Leavitt is curating her public image in an era where every detail is dissected.

Only time will tell if she’ll one day give Riccio a more prominent place in her political narrative. For now, he remains a notable absence in the story she’s choosing to tell.

Would you like a visual summary of key moments from the video in question?