Olivia Nuzzi, one of the most acclaimed political writers for New York Magazine, has been placed on leave while the publication conducts a third-party review into her alleged involvement in a personal relationship with a former subject she was covering during the 2024 presidential campaign. According to a report first published by CNN, the individual at the center of the controversy is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent presidential candidate who recently endorsed Donald Trump.
The magazine did not disclose Kennedy’s identity in its initial statement, but a source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to CNN that the relationship between Nuzzi and Kennedy was emotional and digital, not physical. Nuzzi acknowledged the relationship, which reportedly started after she profiled Kennedy in November 2023, but expressed regret for not disclosing it to her editors sooner.
“Earlier this year, the nature of some communication between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal. During that time, I did not directly report on the subject nor use them as a source,” Nuzzi said in a statement to CNN. “The relationship was never physical, but should have been disclosed to prevent the appearance of a conflict. I deeply regret not doing so immediately and apologize to those I’ve disappointed, especially my colleagues at New York Magazine.”
The magazine responded to the situation by putting Nuzzi on leave, citing her violation of the publication’s policies on conflicts of interest and disclosure. In its own statement, New York Magazine said that had they been aware of the relationship, Nuzzi would not have been allowed to continue covering the 2024 presidential campaign.
“Recently, our Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi acknowledged to the magazine’s editors that she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,” the magazine said. “Had the magazine been aware of this relationship, she would not have continued to cover the presidential campaign. An internal review of her published work has found no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias. She is currently on leave from the magazine, and we are conducting a more thorough third-party review. We regret this violation of our readers’ trust.”
Kennedy, who ended his presidential campaign and endorsed Trump in late August, responded to the report through a spokesperson. “Mr. Kennedy only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece,” the statement read, denying any ongoing relationship with Nuzzi.
The alleged relationship was first reported by CNN’s Oliver Darcy in his Status newsletter, where he claimed that Kennedy had privately boasted about his relationship with Nuzzi. However, Kennedy’s camp strongly refuted these claims.
Nuzzi, who recently became engaged to Politico’s Washington correspondent Ryan Lizza in September 2023, has been a prominent figure in political journalism, known for her insightful coverage of the 2024 campaign and numerous profiles of political figures, including Trump and Kennedy. While New York Magazine has stated that an internal review found no evidence of bias in her work, the issue has nevertheless prompted a significant response, both from the magazine and the wider journalistic community.
As the investigation continues, New York Magazine is working to restore trust with its readers, emphasizing its commitment to upholding ethical standards in political journalism. The outcome of the third-party review, and whether Nuzzi will return to her position, remains to be seen.