A prominent journalist's ex-fiancé has made explosive claims about her alleged secret relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., detailing a specific date set to "consummate" the affair and an unusual planned gift.
The Alleged Rendezvous and a Comic Book Gift
In the latest instalment of a revealing Substack series, former Politico reporter Ryan Lizza, 51, alleges that his then-fiancée, Olivia Nuzzi, 32, and RFK Jr., 71, planned to solidify their "fling" with a sexual encounter on August 23, 2024. Lizza claims the tryst was intended for Phoenix, Arizona, hours after Kennedy publicly endorsed Donald Trump at a rally in Glendale with his wife, Cheryl Hines, in attendance.
Lizza further alleges that Nuzzi planned to bring Kennedy a pre-sex gift: a 1943 edition of 'Brenda Starr, Girl Reporter', a book based on the comic strip about a journalist's adventures. Upon Lizza's discovery and confrontation, he claims Nuzzi "reluctantly canceled her rendezvous."
A 'Kafkaesque' Fallout and a Denial
Lizza describes the following three months as "a Kafkaesque nightmare", driven by what he calls Kennedy's "extreme paranoia" about the exposure of their relationship. He states the pair had been "talking, texting, and FaceTiming for almost a year" by that point, discussing intimate topics including family tragedies and marital troubles.
The claims took a more public turn when Lizza recounts a phone call with Kennedy on August 24, 2024. He says he found the presidential candidate "disturbingly unrattled" and quotes Kennedy as stating, "The thing is that I don’t have a relationship with her," before allegedly promising to cut off contact—a contradiction Lizza highlights. Kennedy, who suffers from a neurological condition affecting his speech, was met with Lizza's blunt question: "How could anyone have phone sex with that?"
Career Repercussions and Ongoing Reviews
The fallout from the allegations was swift for Nuzzi. In October 2024, she was forced to vacate her role as Washington Correspondent for New York magazine after being found in violation of the publication's conflict-of-interest standards. She subsequently joined Vanity Fair as a West Coast editor in September 2025.
However, her current employer has now stated it is reviewing her conduct in light of Lizza's posts, which also accuse her of acting as a de facto "political operative" for Kennedy. These claims form part of a wider series where Lizza also alleged a past fling with Republican Congressman Mark Sanford and shared excerpts of erotic poetry he attributes to Kennedy.
Nuzzi maintains the relationship was non-physical and did not influence her reporting, a stance outlined in her new memoir, American Canto. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has denied any affair whatsoever and remains married to actress Cheryl Hines, 60.
