Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a candidate for the U.S. presidency, is facing a scandal involving alleged sexting with reporter Olivia Nuzzi. Reports indicate that RFK Jr. bragged to friends about having “intimate” photos of Nuzzi during their exchanges.

Nuzzi, a political correspondent for New York magazine, was confronted by her editor, David Haskell, after learning that Kennedy had been discussing their communications and claiming they were in a romantic relationship. Initially, Nuzzi denied the allegations but later admitted to the existence of the photos. This admission led to her suspension and an external investigation into her conduct as a journalist.

The scandal gained further attention as it was revealed that the inappropriate texts occurred while RFK Jr. was married to Hines, and Nuzzi was engaged to journalist Ryan Lizza. They have since ended their engagement. Nuzzi had previously interviewed Kennedy Jr. for a profile published in November 2023, which followed a visit to his home in California.

“Recently our Washington Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi acknowledged to the magazine’s editors that she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,” the outlet wrote via their website.
 

“Had the magazine been aware of this relationship, she would not have continued to cover the presidential campaign,” they continued, adding there were “no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias” in Nuzzi’s past articles.

Kennedy Jr. has a history of high-profile relationships, having been married twice before. He married Hines in 2014, after facing scrutiny for his past affairs.

This unfolding story raises questions about ethics in journalism and personal conduct in politics, as both RFK Jr. and Nuzzi navigate the repercussions of their alleged relationship.