CNN panelist bitterly tears into 'hot mess' Karoline Leavitt and takes aim at age-gap relationship with husband

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 04:33, 15 August 2026 | Updated: 04:33, 15 August 2026 CNN panelist Sophia Nelson bitterly ripped into Karoline Leavitt and went after her age-gap relationship with her husband after the former White House staffer stepped down to dedicate time to her family.  Nelson, 59, took to social media and slammed Leavitt, 28, as a 'hot mess' following her departure from the White House on Wednesday.  'This young woman is a hot mess,' the CNN panelist wrote on X on Thursday.  'Married to an old man in his 60's. She's in her 20's. She has two babies now by a man 35 years older. She's a WEI hire. Incompetent. No professional background.  'Blonde. Cute. Bimbo. Snarky. With a big cross around her neck. That's so Trump-Mar-A-Lago-Epstein vibes,' Nelson fumed.  The post comes after Leavitt announced the 'bittersweet decision' to leave her role as press secretary for the Trump administration following the birth of her second child.  'Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least,' Leavitt wrote on X on Wednesday. 'The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary – and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life.' CNN panelist Sophia Nelson, 59, took to social media and slammed Karoline Leavitt, 28, as a 'hot mess' following her departure from the White House on Wednesday  Nelson attacked Leavitt, condemning her as a 'Blonde. Cute. Bimbo. Snarky. With a big cross around her neck,' adding: 'That's so Trump-Mar-A-Lago-Epstein vibes' Her exit came just shy of a month after Leavitt returned from maternity leave on July 16 after giving birth in May to her daughter Vivi - her second child with her real estate developer husband Nicholas Riccio, 60, who she married in January 2025.  Following her announcement, President Trump jumped on TruthSocial with a supportive message for Leavitt's decision, which was one he could 'totally understand and respect.' Trump described Leavitt as 'one of the best White House press secretaries in the history of the office' and someone who would remain a 'top outside adviser' and 'influential voice.' Leavitt served as one of Trump's closest confidantes, attending classified briefings in the Situation Room and counselling over major crises including the Jeffrey Epstein scandal – an unusual distinction for a press secretary. Her replacement remains unclear and there was no official stand-in while she was on maternity leave. She became well-known for her tenacity at the podium in the White House briefing room, frequently mirroring the behavior of her boss in attacking 'fake news' journalists and dishing out tongue lashings to any reporter who dares to cross the administration.  After she entered Trump's orbit in 2018 during the first administration, Leavitt went on to serve first as a presidential writer and then as an assistant White House press secretary. Leavitt worked as communications director for New York representative Elise Stefanik, a close Trump ally, from 2021 to 2022. Nelson also went after Leavitt and her age-gap relationship with her real estate developer husband Nicholas Riccio, 60, who she married in January 2025 Nelson's post comes after Leavitt announced the 'bittersweet decision' to leave her role as press secretary for the Trump administration following the birth of her second child Leavitt served as one of Trump's closest confidantes, attending classified briefings in the Situation Room and counselling over major crises including the Jeffrey Epstein scandal – an unusual distinction for a press secretary She joined Trump's re-election campaign as a national press secretary in 2024 and was announced as White House Press Secretary on his return to the Oval Office.  Her resignation comes just two weeks after one of her top deputies Abigail Jackson left the White House for the private sector. It remains unclear whether Leavitt will take on a new role or join a private company as she continues advising the president from outside the White House. The Daily Mail reached out to the White House for comment.