A leading political journalist at New York Magazine has stepped away from her role following reports of an alleged romantic relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
According to a statement from the news outlet, Olivia Nuzzi, known for her in-depth articles on American politics, including those focusing on RFK Jr., breached the magazine’s guidelines regarding the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. “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 while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,” New York said.
It added: “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 the magazine is conducting a more thorough third-party review. We regret this violation of our readers’ trust.”
In her statement, Nuzzi confirmed the relationship, clarifying that it had not been physical. She noted that it began after she had authored an article about Kennedy and his idealistic yet ultimately unsuccessful bid for the presidency.
Nuzzi stated that “the nature of some communication between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal” earlier this year. “During that time, I did not directly report on the subject nor use them as a source,” she said. “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.”
A representative for RFK Jr. informed CNN that Kennedy “only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece”.
RFK Jr. is the son of Robert Francis Kennedy, who was tragically assassinated in 1968 while seeking the Democratic nomination for president, nearly five years after his brother, John F. Kennedy, the sitting president, was also assassinated. RFK Jr.’s independent campaign for the 2024 election struggled to gain traction against both the Democratic and Republican parties, and his controversial views on various topics, particularly vaccinations, failed to resonate with a broad segment of the American public.
Nuzzi has established herself as a prominent journalist and television commentator in the United States. Among her latest works was a notable interview with Donald Trump, during which the former president invited her to take a look at his ear, which was injured during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.