New York Magazine has placed its Washington correspondent, Olivia Nuzzi, on leave following allegations of a relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his 2024 presidential campaign.
Nuzzi admitted to having a “personal” relationship with a subject, but neither she nor the publication explicitly mentioned Kennedy by name in their statements.
According to reports, Nuzzi’s connection with Kennedy, 70, began after she wrote a profile on him in November 2023.
Kennedy’s spokesperson denied any relationship, stating that Kennedy only met Nuzzi once for an interview, which led to a critical article.
Nuzzi clarified in a statement that while the relationship became personal, it was not physical, and she did not report on or use the subject as a source during that time. She expressed regret for not disclosing the relationship earlier to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest and apologized to her colleagues.
New York Magazine also addressed the situation, noting that Nuzzi had informed them of the personal relationship, which violated the magazine’s standards regarding conflicts of interest.
They stated that, had they known earlier, Nuzzi would not have continued covering the campaign. An internal review found no bias or inaccuracies in her work, but the magazine is conducting a third-party review.
Kennedy, who is married to actress Cheryl Hines, recently dropped out of the race and endorsed Donald Trump.