Karoline Leavitt has made headlines as President Donald Trump‘s press secretary in his second term.
Leavitt, age 27, is the youngest person to hold the position of White House press secretary and comes into the role with a significant net worth and experience. Estimates of her net worth hover at around $7 million, but the real number could be higher.
Why It Matters
Press secretaries play a pivotal role in each presidential administration, conducting often daily media briefings to answer questions about recent presidential and federal agency news and decisions.
Since Leavitt is the youngest to take on the public role, her background, finances and personal life remain of interest to many Americans, especially as Trump’s inner circle has been one of the richest in presidential history.
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What To Know
Before Leavitt’s current role, she worked in the previous Trump White House as a member of then-press secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s team. She has also worked as a news assistant at Fox News.
Trump has praised the 27-year-old press secretary as “smart, tough and highly effective” when she made history as the youngest press secretary.
After Trump lost his reelection in 2020, Leavitt became communications director for Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York.
A New Hampshire native, Leavitt is estimated to have an annual income of $1.5 million and a predicted White House salary of $180,000, according to the Publicist Paper. That, plus media opportunities and real estate investments, provides her a net worth estimated at $7 million.
Shortly after graduating from Saint Anselm College, Leavitt rose in conservative politics, cementing herself as a fixture in the Trump administration. In 2022, she ran for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District but lost during the primaries.
Leavitt is married to husband Nicholas Riccio, who has a net worth of $6 million, largely from his real estate portfolio, according to Distractify.
Their relationship has drawn many eyes as Leavitt is 32 years younger than her husband Riccio, prompting rumors over how they met and how their relationship works.
Leavitt previously said the duo met when she was running for New Hampshire’s first congressional district against Chris Pappas when she was around 25 years old.
“A mutual friend of ours hosted an event at a restaurant that he owns up in New Hampshire, and invited my husband. I was speaking and we met, we were acquainted as friends, and we fell in love,” Leavitt said previously on The Megyn Kelly Show.
“Of course. I mean it’s a very atypical love story, but he’s incredible,” Leavitt said regarding the age gap in her relationship. “He is my greatest supporter, he’s my best friend, and he’s my rock.”
Leavitt also said her husband’s real estate success has allowed her to fully pursue her own career.
“He’s built a very successful business himself, so now he’s fully supportive of me building my success in my career,” she added during the interview. “He’s the father of my child, and he’s the best dad I could ever ask for. And he is so supportive, especially during a very chaotic period of life.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said in a statement to Newsweek in November 2024: “Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “When it comes to Leavitt’s net worth, most is tied to her husband’s lucrative real estate business and, of course, her earnings since becoming press secretary. Any public position can be a mixed bag when it comes to further acquiring wealth. Sometimes it produces more speaking engagements and government roles, and other times these figures go away from public view quickly.”
What Happens Next
Leavitt’s financial success is likely to rise as she continues working as Trump’s press secretary and after the president’s second term.
Future earnings could be amassed from book deals, TV appearances or taking on new media or political adviser positions.
“Given her youth and discipline in communicating the administration’s message, she could have a long career ahead of her presenting party messaging after this President’s second term comes to a close,” Beene said.