Who is Karoline Leavitt, the White House's youngest press secretary?
Karoline Leavitt made her debut at a White House press briefing on Tuesday, making her mark as the youngest White House press secretary to take the lectern.
Leavitt assured members of the media that President Donald Trump was "hard at work" fulfilling his campaign promises, vowed to hold briefings "frequently" that would physically open the door to an expanse of media outlets, including podcasters and social media influencers.
She answered questions about the administration's crackdown on immigration and the mysterious drones that hovered over New Jersey.
In November, Leavitt was tapped by President Trump to serve as his second-term press secretary in a highly visible job that was previously occupied by women including Fox News co-host Kayleigh McEnany and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Here's what know about the White House's youngest press secretary.
Who is Karoline Leavitt?
Karoline Leavitt is a 27-year-old from Atkinson, New Hampshire, and attended Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, according to Seacoastonline. She graduated in 2019 from Saint Anselm College with a bachelors in politics and communication.
Leavitt interned at the White House during Trump's first administration and worked as a presidential writer and assistant press secretary to Kayleigh McEnany.
Leavitt knocks Ronald Ziegler off the list as the youngest press secretary to ever serve under a U.S. president. Ziegler was 29 when he took the position under Richard Nixon's administration, according to Britannica.
Karoline Leavitt's husband; what we know about Nicholas Riccio
Karoline Leavitt's husband, Nicholas Riccio, who she often calls Nick in media reports, is a self-employed business owner. The duo got engaged on Christmas Day 2023, she posted on Instagram.
Riccio manages a multimillion-dollar real estate business, Riccio Enterprises LLC, according to Newsweek.
Karoline Leavitt family
Karoline Leavitt shares a son, Nicholas Robert, who she calls "Niko," with her husband, Nicholas Riccio. He was born on July 10, 2024, she posted on Instagram.
The new mom was spotted at a May 11, 2024 Trump rally in Wildwood, New Jersey when she was 29 weeks pregnant, and told The Conservateur magazine in October 2024 she quickly learned to be a "master at multitasking" when she became a new mom. She told the magazine she returned to work four days after giving birth.
Salary of White House press secretary
It is not immediately known how much Karoline Leavitt will be earning as White House press secretary. Karine Jean-Pierre, who took over for former press secretary Jen Psaki in May 2022, was earning $180,000 a year, according to a report by Business Insider. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was earning a salary of $183,000 a year, the outlet reported.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
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