After a year spent largely out of the public eye, Olivia Nuzzi—a journalist once celebrated for her fearless coverage of American politics—has returned to the spotlight, and she’s bringing with her a story that’s already reigniting debate across the media landscape. On October 15, 2025, Nuzzi was appointed West Coast editor of Vanity Fair, marking a comeback that follows one of the most talked-about scandals in recent political journalism. Her new role comes as she prepares to publish a memoir that promises to lay bare the details of her digital relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Secretary of Health, and the professional and personal fallout that followed.
Nuzzi’s journey to her current position has been anything but conventional. Starting her career at just 18 with the alternative weekly triCityNews in Asbury Park, New Jersey, she quickly made a name for herself, contributing to publications like NSFWCorp, The Daily Beast, Politico Magazine, GQ, Esquire, and The Washington Post. By 2017, she was the Washington correspondent for New York Magazine, where her direct and bold reporting style drew both praise and controversy.
But it was her connection to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that would ultimately upend her career. The relationship, which both parties insist was never physical, began when Nuzzi interviewed Kennedy during his 2024 presidential campaign. According to OK! Magazine, Nuzzi later acknowledged to her editors that she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the campaign—a clear violation of New York Magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures. The magazine’s statement, cited by multiple outlets, noted, "Had the magazine been aware of this relationship, she would not have continued to cover the presidential campaign." Despite an internal review finding no inaccuracies or evidence of bias in her reporting, the damage was done.
As the scandal broke in October 2024, Nuzzi was first placed on paid leave and then, weeks later, she and New York Magazine "mutually agreed" to part ways. The situation escalated when a leak of private messages revealed an intimacy between Nuzzi and Kennedy deeper than she had previously admitted. Nuzzi responded with a public statement: "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."
The revelations didn’t end there. According to The Independent and The New York Post, sources claimed the digital relationship included Nuzzi sending intimate photos to Kennedy, who sometimes blocked her only to later unblock her at her insistence. Court documents filed by Nuzzi and seen by CNN even alleged that Kennedy expressed desires to "possess," "control," and "impregnate" her. Kennedy, for his part, has consistently downplayed the relationship, stating through his spokesperson that he "only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece."
The scandal had immediate and far-reaching effects on Nuzzi’s personal life as well. Her engagement to fellow reporter Ryan Lizza ended amid the controversy. Nuzzi accused Lizza of threats and extortion, but later withdrew the claims; Lizza denied all allegations, calling them part of a "coordinated defamation campaign." The matter concluded without further legal proceedings, but it marked a decidedly turbulent chapter for both journalists.
As for Kennedy, the fallout extended to his marriage with actress Cheryl Hines. OK! Magazine reports that Hines was spotted without her wedding ring during the height of the drama, though she and Kennedy remained married. Hines, when asked about the situation, declined to comment directly, saying, "I don’t think there’s any point to going through every rumor and headline to try to defend or explain it. Bobby and I talk about everything, so that’s how we move through everything, and we’re really good friends, and we trust each other." According to sources cited by the Daily Mail, Hines even encouraged Kennedy to move away from Washington, D.C., after the scandal, expressing concern about his independence in the capital.
After her departure from New York Magazine, Nuzzi relocated to Los Angeles, entering a period of relative privacy. During this time, she worked on her forthcoming memoir, which insiders say will not only address the Kennedy scandal but also chronicle her whirlwind decade covering politics. According to Status reporter Oliver Darcy, who first broke the story about Nuzzi and Kennedy’s relationship, the book is expected to be released in the prime time holiday season of 2025, with advanced copies already circulating among insiders.
In September 2025, nearly a year after the scandal first erupted, Nuzzi was hired as West Coast editor at Vanity Fair under the leadership of new director Mark Guiducci. The move is seen as part of Guiducci’s strategy to reinvigorate the magazine’s editorial team with high-profile, sharp-witted journalists. Nuzzi’s responsibilities will include overseeing coverage of events, industry, and culture along the Pacific Coast, as well as contributing original reporting to the publication.
The anticipation around Nuzzi’s memoir is palpable. According to OK! Magazine and The Independent, the book is expected to be a bold testimony that could reshape public perception of both the scandal and Nuzzi herself. It will mark the first time she has directly addressed the events in detail since her initial public statement. The project is said to be about more than just the controversy—it will also delve into the challenges of political journalism in a hyper-connected, scandal-driven era.
As the industry watches Nuzzi’s return, questions linger about the boundaries between journalists and their subjects, the pressures of high-profile reporting, and the consequences of personal choices in the digital age. Nuzzi’s own words, as reported by New York Magazine, sum up the dilemma: "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."
With her memoir set to hit shelves soon and a new editorial role at one of America’s most storied magazines, Olivia Nuzzi is poised for a new chapter—one that, if her past is any indication, will be anything but dull.
