
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is speaking out about the swirl of allegations in the media that he had an affair with New York Magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi. But that does not mean he’s giving in to prurient questions; quite the opposite. Kennedy is batting down intrusive questions from the media and insisting on talking about substantive political issues, not personal gossip.
The accusations about the alleged affair surfaced last week when New York Magazine announced that Nuzzi was on leave pending an investigation into her behavior.
Nuzzi released a statement last week coyly failing to name the man she was talking about, but disclosing that she began a “personal relationship” with a “subject” she was covering. It is now known that she was referring to RFK. Nuzzi profiled him in a story last fall, and apparently the two went hiking together.
It is difficult to know what is true amid rumors that Nuzzi sent provocative photos to Kennedy, rumors that he rebuffed them and blocked her on his phone, and more. It is not even clear that Nuzzi’s characterization of what some are calling an “emotional affair” is accurate, or that Kennedy would agree with it.
But the media is intensely interested. Fox News’ Martha MacCallum asked Kennedy if he regretted allegedly sending sexual texts to Nuzzi. Kennedy has been in no mood to get grilled over his personal life, and responded, “I never comment on these kinds of stories,” before suggesting that MacCallum discuss something substantive about his policies on food and health or the Ukraine war.
Speculating further, the Daily Mail noted that Kennedy was wearing his wedding ring during his Fox News appearance. But they claim that his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, was recently seen without her prominent diamond engagement ring.
Robert F. Kennedy has broken with the tradition of the Democrat party of his family by first leaving the party, then dropping his Independent presidential campaign in August and throwing his support behind Donald Trump. Kennedy has said the Democrat party has become the group most interested in censorship and depriving Americans of their rights to free speech. He is also alarmed at the alignment between the Democrats and corporate interests, particularly pharmaceutical companies.