Vanity Fair has announced it is ending its professional relationship with West Coast editor Olivia Nuzzi, following a prolonged controversy centred on her past reporting of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A Mutual Agreement to Part Ways
On Friday the 5th of December 2025, spokespersons for both the magazine and the journalist released a joint statement. It confirmed that Vanity Fair and Olivia Nuzzi have mutually agreed, in the best interest of the magazine, to let her contract expire at the end of the year. This decision brings to a close a turbulent period for Nuzzi, whose journalistic conduct has been under intense scrutiny.
The Root of the Controversy
The controversy stems from Nuzzi's time as the Washington correspondent for New York magazine. She was considered a star reporter until the autumn of 2024, when it was revealed she had maintained an intense personal relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. while profiling him for the publication. Nuzzi did not disclose this relationship to her editors or readers at the time.
Kennedy, who is now the head of the US Department of Health and Human Services, was the subject of her work. The failure to disclose a personal connection with a profile subject represents a significant breach of standard journalistic ethics regarding conflicts of interest.
Career Fallout and Consequences
The revelation led to swift consequences for Nuzzi's career. She was fired by New York magazine in the fall of 2024. Shortly after, in September of that year, she was hired by Vanity Fair. However, the controversy surrounding her past actions and the ethical questions it raised persisted, ultimately leading to the current mutual decision to separate.
This case highlights the ongoing and critical importance of transparency and ethical boundaries in political journalism. When the personal and professional lines blur, it can undermine public trust in both the journalist and their publication.
