Political journalist Ryan Lizza has made explosive allegations against his ex-fiancée, reporter Olivia Nuzzi, accusing her of secretly passing opposition research to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his 2024 presidential campaign. Lizza claims Nuzzi helped Kennedy, now U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, suppress negative stories and manage internal campaign challenges.
In a detailed post on his Substack, Lizza alleges Nuzzi regularly shared sensitive information from trusted sources with Kennedy, crossing the line from journalist to political operative. He recounts an incident where a campaign aide shared inside details about Kennedy’s choice of running mate, Nicole Shanahan, and Nuzzi urged loyalty to Kennedy instead of publishing the story.
Lizza also accuses her of suppressing a whistleblower exposé and revealing the source’s identity, calling this a serious breach of journalistic ethics that damages public trust. This adds to an ongoing scandal involving Nuzzi’s digital relationship with Kennedy, which led to her leave from New York magazine and her current role as Vanity Fair’s West Coast editor. Kennedy now serves in the Trump administration.
Nuzzi’s attorney calls Lizza’s posts a harassment campaign; she sought court protection in Washington, D.C. earlier this year. No official comments have come from the White House, Department of Health and Human Services, or Condé Nast about these claims.
