Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's Parents Gave Her a Traditional Catholic Upbringing
Karoline was raised in a traditional Catholic setting in New Hampshire alongside her two brothers.
Published Jan. 28 2025, 4:07 p.m. ET
In the administration of President Donald Trump, new faces are filling the White House and Capitol Hill as he brings in a whole new bevy of politicos for his cabinet, including press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Karoline is a staunch and outspoken supporter of President Trump, coming to the attention of the public for her steadfast defense of the president in the wake of the 2021 attempted insurrection. Now, she's serving as the youngest press secretary in American history. Here's what we know about the upbringing she received at the hands of her parents and her marriage as she fulfills the role of Trump's foremost spokesperson.
Karoline Leavitt's parents gave her a traditional Catholic upbringing.
Karoline was born in 1997 in Atkinson, N.H. Her parents, Bob Leavitt and Erin Leavitt, raised her in the Catholic faith. They owned an ice cream shop and a used car dealership when Karoline was growing up.
They sent Karoline and her two brothers, Joe Leavitt and Mike Leavitt, to Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Mass. Karoline has occasionally cited her Catholic upbringing, espousing traditionalist views when speaking of her political views. Like many politicians in 2025, Karoline weaves her Catholic upbringing and beliefs through her public statements and ideologies that she shares with the world. On her Instagram, Karoline has an entire section set aside to share her beliefs, under the subsection "faith."
Also on social media, Karoline occasionally shares pictures of herself with her parents, proudly showing them supporting her through her career and travels. During Trump's first administration, Karoline even shared a picture of herself and her father attending a White House Christmas party, foreshadowing her eventual career as Trump's official top spokesperson.
Here's what we know about Karoline's husband.
It would seem that Karoline has brought her Catholic background and the beliefs her parents passed down to her into her marriage. On Dec. 25, 2023, Karoline's longtime partner, Nicholas "Nick" Riccio proposed to her, and she said yes.
It's unknown when they officially tied the knot, but Karoline refers to herself as "wife" in her social media bio, so we can assume that they have married.
Karoline is 27 years old, and Nick is 59; yet together, they make a formidable team.
Nick built a booming real estate business from quite literally nothing. It all started in 1993 when he and his mom came across a dilapidated area in Hampton Beach, N.H.
Although he didn't have many resources, Nick purchased one of the worn-down buildings on M Street and began renovating it. By 2005, Nick owned 15 buildings on M Street, including 70 living units. He had also invested heavily in revitalizing the area.
Nick and Karoline welcomed their first child together, Nicholas "Niko" Robert on July 10, 2024.
Karoline and Nick occasionally share pictures of their happy little family, and Nick supports his wife in their public appearances together. While Karoline hasn't spoken much about their private life, they present a united front to the world and embrace their respective public roles.