New York Magazine has placed its Washington, D.C., correspondent Olivia Nuzzi on leave following reports of an alleged romantic relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
In a statement shared with THR, the magazine stated, “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 while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards regarding conflicts of interest and disclosures.”
The statement further noted, “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.”
While New York Magazine did not name Kennedy, insiders informed Status’ Oliver Darcy that Nuzzi did not disclose her alleged relationship with him proactively, and the magazine only discovered it recently. Reports suggest that the relationship began around the new year, following Nuzzi’s profile on Kennedy in November 2023.
In her statement, Nuzzi acknowledged, “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. 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.”
Nuzzi has gained recognition in political reporting, having left Fordham University to cover politics for The Daily Beast. She gained prominence during Donald Trump’s presidency for her in-depth writing and sourcing within the Trump White House. Notably, following an assassination attempt on Trump in July, she was allowed to inspect his injured ear, which became a key element in a feature story for New York Magazine.
Last month, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his third-party presidential campaign and endorsed Trump. He has been married to actress Cheryl Hines since 2014.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to both Nuzzi and Kennedy for their comments.