Affair Claims Erupt

Olivia Nuzzi is offering her most detailed account yet of her alleged relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., expanding on the scandal that first erupted during the 2024 presidential campaign. A preview of her upcoming book American Canto, obtained by The New York Times, outlines what she describes as an emotional entanglement that unfolded while Kennedy was still in the public eye and she was covering him professionally.

According to the Times summary, Nuzzi writes that Kennedy expressed deep feelings for her, shared personal writings, and even used a private nickname. Her book’s release on December 2 is expected to reignite the controversy that exploded earlier last fall, when her former fiancé Ryan Lizza alleged in court documents that Nuzzi had admitted to a long-running affair with the married politician.

The controversy intensified soon after Nuzzi’s September 2024 sit-down with Kennedy for New York Magazine. Not long after the feature ran, the outlet confirmed she had failed to disclose a personal connection with him and suspended her while a third-party review got underway. In a statement at the time, Nuzzi insisted that nothing physical occurred between them but acknowledged she should have been transparent about their ties, saying, “The relationship was never physical but should have been disclosed to prevent the appearance of a conflict.”

Kennedy’s camp denied any impropriety, insisting his only contact with Nuzzi occurred during the interview she conducted. His wife, actress Cheryl Hines, later addressed the public speculation on The Katie Miller Podcast, describing the months surrounding Kennedy’s campaign as a blur of rumors and relentless attention.

With American Canto set to arrive in early December, the public will soon see Nuzzi’s full version of events — and the conversation around the journalist, the candidate, and the collapse of their respective relationships is poised to flare back into the spotlight once again.