New York Magazine has placed Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi on leave after revealing she had an inappropriate personal relationship with former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., while reporting on the 2024 campaign.
In a statement released late Thursday, the magazine informed readers that Nuzzi had disclosed the relationship to editors, acknowledging it violated the outlet’s guidelines on conflicts of interest and transparency.
The magazine clarified that, had they known about the relationship earlier, Nuzzi would not have been allowed to continue covering the presidential campaign. An internal review of her published work found no inaccuracies or evidence of bias, but the magazine is conducting a more thorough third-party review.
“We regret this violation of our readers’ trust,” the magazine said.
Media reports, including by critic Oliver Darcy, indicated that the subject of the relationship was Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had been an independent presidential candidate before endorsing former President Donald Trump.
In her own statement to The New York Times, Nuzzi confirmed that her communication with a former subject earlier this year became personal but clarified that the relationship was never physical. She added that she did not report on or use the subject as a source during that period, though she regretted not disclosing the situation to avoid any perception of bias.
“I deeply regret not disclosing this immediately and apologize to those I’ve disappointed, especially my colleagues at New York,” she said.
Nuzzi is a prominent member of the Washington press corps known for her in-depth political reporting. Earlier this month, she conducted a high-profile interview with former President Trump at his Mar-A-Lago estate.
