New York magazine placed its Washington correspondent, Olivia Nuzzi, on leave Thursday evening following an internal investigation that revealed she had developed a “personal relationship” with a key figure in the 2024 presidential race, reportedly Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former candidate.
In a statement, the magazine explained that Nuzzi had admitted to her editors that she became personally involved with a former subject she was covering in relation to the 2024 election. This personal involvement was deemed a violation of the magazine’s editorial policies concerning conflicts of interest and disclosure.
Olivia Nuzzi, known for conducting numerous high-profile interviews throughout her coverage of the presidential election, had previously written an in-depth feature on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. late last year. The revelation of this relationship came after an inquiry into her interactions during the campaign.
Later that night, Nuzzi issued her own statement, clarifying that while she had communicated personally with the former subject, she did not engage in any physical relationship. She chose not to directly name Kennedy, despite widespread speculation.
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“Earlier this year, my communication with a former reporting subject became personal,” Olivia Nuzzi stated, explaining the nature of her interactions. She emphasized, “I did not report directly on this individual nor use them as a source. While the relationship was never physical, I should have disclosed it to avoid any perception of a conflict of interest. I sincerely regret not doing so sooner and apologize to those I’ve let down, especially my colleagues at New York magazine.”
A spokesperson for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also denied any physical relationship between the two, clarifying that Kennedy had only met Nuzzi once. “Mr. Kennedy met Olivia Nuzzi on one occasion for an interview she requested, which resulted in a critical article,” the spokesperson told TV5s News Digital.
In its own statement, New York magazine expressed that, had it been aware of the relationship, Nuzzi would have been removed from her coverage of the presidential campaign. “If the magazine had known of this relationship, she would not have continued reporting on the campaign. A thorough internal review of her published work has found no inaccuracies or signs of bias,” the magazine stated.
The magazine also confirmed that Nuzzi is currently on leave, while a more comprehensive third-party investigation is being conducted. “We deeply regret this breach of trust with our readers,” the statement continued.
Status, a newly established media blog, reported that the individual in question was indeed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is married to actress Cheryl Hines. Kennedy recently suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump.
According to Status, Nuzzi did not voluntarily disclose her alleged relationship with Kennedy, and New York magazine only recently became aware of it through other sources. The relationship is said to have developed after Nuzzi’s November 2023 profile on Kennedy was published. A person close to Nuzzi clarified that she did not use Kennedy as a source during her reporting on the 2024 election campaign.
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Nuzzi did not respond to further requests for comment regarding the situation. Similarly, New York magazine declined to provide additional information when questioned about the report involving Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Recently, Nuzzi gained attention when Bloomberg reportedly pulled the promotional campaign for her six-episode interview series, Working Capital, following backlash from left-wing groups. The controversy centered on a critical article she wrote about President Joe Biden, which allegedly prompted the backlash.
In her piece on Biden, published shortly before he withdrew from the 2024 presidential race, Nuzzi explored concerns about the president’s cognitive decline and alleged that there was a “conspiracy of silence” surrounding his condition. The article suggested that efforts were made to prevent the public from learning about Biden’s struggles. Shortly after its release, Biden exited the race as pressure from within the Democratic Party intensified.
Earlier this month, Nuzzi also authored a profile of former President Donald Trump, written in the aftermath of an attempted assassination targeting him in July.
This updated article now includes statements from both Nuzzi and the Kennedy campaign addressing the recent controversy.
