Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, have been left "in a state of shock and distress" following revelations that journalist Olivia Nuzzi is publishing a tell-all memoir detailing her alleged relationship with the controversial cabinet official, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Insiders told RadarOnline.com and The New York Post that Kennedy, 71, was "blindsided" by the news of Nuzzi's upcoming book, American Canto, which is scheduled for release on December 2. The memoir is expected to include "sexually charged text messages" between Kennedy and Nuzzi, along with details from her decade-long political reporting career, including interviews with former President Donald Trump.
"Bobby and Cheryl initially went through marital hell last year when the affair was first revealed," one insider told The NY Post. "She even considered divorce for a time, but they've since reconciled and had been relieved that the scandal had seemingly blown over." The source added that "Cheryl eventually and emphatically believed, without reservation, Bobby's denial" that the relationship was physical.
Kennedy, who serves as Trump's secretary of health and human services, has previously denied the allegations, saying through a spokesperson that he met Nuzzi only once - during an interview for her coverage of his 2024 presidential campaign. Nuzzi has publicly described the relationship as "personal, but never physical."
In a Fox Digital interview, Hines said her husband suggested they pretend to be separated to lessen public scrutiny. "It was a very sweet notion but ... I didn't think that was helpful," she said. "For a couple to say, 'Maybe we should just say we're not with each other anymore and our lives would be easier.' That's pretty dramatic and pretty extreme."
According to RadarOnline.com, Hines rejected the idea and continued to appear publicly alongside her husband, though she reportedly declined to live in the couple's Georgetown home because of discomfort with political attention.
The allegations involving Kennedy and Nuzzi first surfaced last year when court filings from Nuzzi's ex-fiancé, journalist Ryan Lizza, described the relationship as manipulative and "toxic." In those documents, Lizza claimed Kennedy wanted to "possess," "control" and "impregnate" Nuzzi, and alleged that she had privately called Kennedy a "sex addict," describing their affair as "toxic, unhealthy, stupid, psychotic, crazy, indefensible."
Lizza's accusations followed his own breakup with Nuzzi, who was dismissed as Washington correspondent for New York Magazine despite the publication stating it found "no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias" in her reporting. Nuzzi later accused Lizza of threats and blackmail but withdrew those claims.
A publishing source told The NY Post the competing narratives between Kennedy and Nuzzi will likely fuel widespread media attention. "Not to diminish Bobby and Cheryl's negative reaction and fear about Olivia's upcoming tell-all, but it really comes down to the old story - 'He said, she said,'" the source said. "But one thing's for certain, with the two women writing about their relationship with one man - a Kennedy with a long history of womanizing - it's definitely going to generate public interest."
Hines, best known for her role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, is set to release her own memoir, Unscripted, on November 11 - just weeks before Nuzzi's book hits stores. Representatives for Hines declined to comment, and Kennedy did not respond to requests for comment.
