An explosive new claim has surfaced alleging that journalist Olivia Nuzzi and Robert F. Kennedy Jr planned an intimate meeting following a Donald Trump rally in 2024. The accusation comes from Nuzzi's former boyfriend, Ryan Lizza, who has detailed the alleged affair in a scathing online post.
Planned Rendezvous at Political Event
Ryan Lizza, a former reporter for Politico, has claimed his ex-partner intended to "consummate" her relationship with Kennedy Jr after the former presidential candidate attended a Trump rally on August 23, 2024. That was the same evening RFK Jr publicly pledged his support for Trump.
In a blog post titled 'Part 4: Means of Control' on his site Telos News, Lizza suggested the timing was strategic. He wrote that Kennedy Jr would no longer be a candidate, reducing media scrutiny, and crucially, would have lost the Secret Service protection that could complicate a private encounter. Lizza also implied Kennedy's wife, actress Cheryl Hines, would not be present.
Lizza alleged Nuzzi planned to gift Kennedy Jr a 1943 edition of a cartoon about a glamorous reporter, 'Brenda Starr, Girl Reporter'. However, he claims these plans were disrupted when he was assigned to cover the same rally and discovered the alleged affair shortly beforehand.
A 'Disturbingly Unrattled' Confrontation
According to Lizza's account, Nuzzi cancelled the planned meeting. The day after the alleged rendezvous was to occur, Lizza confronted Kennedy Jr by phone. He described the future Secretary of Health and Human Services as being "disturbingly unrattled" by the allegations.
Lizza claims Kennedy Jr calmly denied any relationship with Nuzzi during the call, which reportedly ended with Kennedy saying he was "sorry if you're having a bad time." Lizza wrote that the following months involved "Bobby's extreme paranoia about what I know and Olivia's extreme fears about what Bobby might do to her if I tell anyone."
Allegations of Control and Deleted Evidence
The blog post further alleges that Kennedy Jr exerted significant control over Nuzzi. Lizza claims Kennedy persuaded her to delete an audio recording obtained from court artist Isabelle Brourman, made at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.
The recording was believed to potentially contain comments from Trump about the official story behind his injured ear, sustained in an assassination attempt on July 13, 2024. Nuzzi allegedly erased the file after Kennedy contacted her from Baja, later telling Lizza she could not corroborate Brourman's recollection.
These details add to previously reported claims about Nuzzi's alleged "digital relationship" with Kennedy Jr. A source told The New York Post the journalist was "obsessed" and "bombarded him with increasingly pornographic photos and videos." Court documents filed by Nuzzi and seen by CNN also alleged Kennedy Jr told her he wanted to "possess," "control," and "impregnate" her.
Both parties have denied a physical relationship. Nuzzi has consistently refuted having one, while a spokesperson for Kennedy told Vanity Fair that "Mr. Kennedy only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life." The Independent has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services for further comment.
