Karoline Leavitt Says 'Not Planned' After Husband Nicholas Riccio Appears in Intimate Bathroom Video

Karoline Leavitt's husband, New Hampshire real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, appeared brushing his teeth in the background of an Instagram video she shared on Sunday, October 11, as she finished her make-up for a friend's wedding.

Leavitt, 29, was filming a mirror selfie when Riccio, 61, came into view behind her. She said, 'Hi honey,' before sharing the clip on her Instagram Story. She captioned it: 'Glam complete! With a surprise appearance from my wedding date! Not planned.'

Inside the Brief Bathroom Clip

The clip showed a brief domestic moment rather than a political statement. Leavitt described Riccio's appearance in the video as 'Not planned' in her caption.

Riccio was brushing his teeth when he appeared behind Leavitt in the video. The footage does not establish whether he knew he was being filmed or had agreed to appear in her social media content.

For followers accustomed to seeing Leavitt in political settings, the video offered a different view of the former White House press secretary.

There was no policy announcement, briefing or campaign message. Instead, the footage showed her getting ready for a wedding while her husband appeared in the background.

Who is Nicholas Riccio?

Riccio is a New Hampshire real estate developer and Leavitt's husband. Leavitt, 29, and Riccio, 61, have a 32-year age difference.

Leavitt and Riccio met in 2022, while she was campaigning for Congress in New Hampshire. Leavitt has said they initially knew each other as friends before falling in love. They became engaged in December 2023 and married in January 2025.

Leavitt has described the relationship as 'a very atypical love story'. In a separate interview, she said telling her parents about the relationship was 'definitely a challenging conversation to have at first'. She said their concerns eased after they got to know Riccio.

The couple have two children. Their son, Nicholas Robert 'Niko' Riccio, was born in July 2024, and their daughter, Viviana 'Vivi' Riccio, was born on 1 May 2026.

A Personal Moment After a Professional Shift

The video appeared on the same day that President Donald Trump thanked Leavitt for her work as White House press secretary and announced Katie Zacharia as her successor. Trump first posted his message of thanks, then announced that Zacharia would begin the role on Monday, 12 October.

Trump praised Leavitt for her work, writing that she had done a 'fantastic job' as White House press secretary. He later said Zacharia would hold an introductory news conference at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13, in the White House Press Briefing Room.

Leavitt announced in August that she would leave the role at the end of the month to spend more time with her family. In her departure statement, she wrote that serving as White House press secretary for the previous year and a half had been 'the honor and adventure of a lifetime'.

She also said that, after returning to the White House following the birth of her daughter, she felt she could not be 'the best mom' her two young children deserved while meeting the demands of the press secretary role.

Why the Clip Drew Attention

The clip offered a glimpse of Leavitt's life outside her former role as White House press secretary. It was also a relatively unusual appearance by Riccio on Leavitt's Instagram feed.

The result was a brief slice of domestic life, a make-up routine with her husband in the background, caught mid-brush. Leavitt described the appearance as unplanned.

The video is unlikely to alter views of Leavitt's political career, but it provided a lighter contrast to the highly visible role she held until the end of August. Its wider reach and audience reaction have not been independently established.