Former US presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr allegedly grabbed the hand of New York magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi during an interview last year, according to a report in Vanity Fair. The incident, described as “creepy” by a fellow journalist, reportedly took place while Kennedy, 70, and Nuzzi, 31, were on a hike during an interview for a November 2023 profile in New York Magazine.
Multiple sources also told Vanity Fair that Kennedy initiated the hand-grab before the two allegedly engaged in a sexting exchange. Nuzzi reportedly shared details of the encounter with a colleague who also experienced a similar interaction with Kennedy.
Nuzzi has declined to comment on the matter, and the Kennedy scion has yet to react. However, the incident raises doubts about Kennedy’s previous claims that Nuzzi was the aggressor in their alleged online romance. Kennedy suggested that Nuzzi “bombarded” him with explicit photos over several months and was reportedly considering legal action against her.
A source close to Kennedy’s camp told the New York Post that Nuzzi became “obsessed” with Kennedy Jr after interviewing him in California and pursued him persistently via text.
According to Jessica Reed Kraus, a mutual acquaintance, Kennedy attempted to block Nuzzi’s number multiple times but would occasionally unblock her due to what Nuzzi described as “urgent discussions about an imminent hit piece.”
The pair allegedly began communicating after the publication of Nuzzi’s profile on Kennedy in New York Magazine. The magazine has since placed Nuzzi on leave and issued an apology after becoming aware of their relationship.
Despite Nuzzi’s insistence that “the relationship was never physical,” Kennedy’s team maintains they only met once, during the interview. Kennedy has since hired security expert Gavin de Becker to investigate the situation, with the possibility of civil or criminal legal action on the horizon.
“This had nothing to do with romance. He was being chased by porn,” de Becker was quoted as saying by The New York Post.
A source told The New York Post that Nuzzi was the aggressor, although both parties were reportedly aware of the high-stakes nature of the situation, leading to sporadic communication.
Kennedy, who recently dropped his independent presidential run and endorsed former President Donald Trump, is married to actress Cheryl Hines. He was wearing his wedding ring during a recent interview, but Hines has been spotted in public without hers.
Nuzzi’s engagement to political reporter Ryan Lizza was also called off after details of her alleged sexting with Kennedy surfaced.