In a surprising revelation, a former boyfriend of Olivia Nuzzi, previously a reporter for New York Magazine, has alleged that she orchestrated a covert surveillance operation on Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence using a sketch artist. This claim comes from Ryan Lizza, a former reporter for Politico, who detailed the incident in a Substack article released on Wednesday.
The sketch artist, Isabelle Brourman, reportedly carried a recording device discreetly concealed in her bag during the operation. According to Lizza, Nuzzi persuaded New York Magazine to commission Brourman to create a portrait of Trump, providing her the opportunity to infiltrate his inner circle under the guise of an artist.
Once inside, Brourman allegedly overheard Trump make a startling claim regarding an attempted assassination that occurred in July 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Lizza tantalizingly notes that if verified, this statement could profoundly alter our understanding of recent historical events.
However, Lizza stops short of revealing the exact nature of Trump’s remarks, leaving readers in suspense. This revelation is part of a larger eight-part series chronicling Lizza’s relationship with Nuzzi, hinting that more details may emerge in the upcoming installments.
In a related development, federal authorities have recently disclosed information about the attempted assassination plot against Trump. They identified the assailant as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, who has a documented history of advocating for political violence, and confirmed that he acted independently.
Feds recently revealed the young man who attempted to assassinate Trump, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, had a long record of espousing political violence. They also said he acted alone.
At the time of the alleged recording, in the summer 2024, Trump was taking campaign meetings with the likes of Matt Gaetz and Susie Wiles.
‘Trump had taken a liking to Izzy when she worked as a sketch artist during his Manhattan trial, and Olivia figured he would enjoy having her around him. She was right,’ Lizza, 51, wrote of his ex’s alleged reasoning in sending in Brourman.
Ryan Lizza, the ex-boyfriend of former New York Magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi (seen with Lizza in April 2023 here) has claimed she used a sketch artist to secretly surveil Donald Trump
Lizza wrote Trump was heard saying something about the attempt on his life in Butler in July 2024 ‘would shatter our understanding of recent history’
He claimed Nuzzi, 32, was in the midst of collecting material that would ‘help make [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] the next president.’
Lizza billed his ex as a sort-of undercover ‘political operative’ for the then-candidate during a fling that began the year before.
The claims, if true, could be incriminating.
Florida is a two-party consent state, meaning that it is illegal to record a conversation without the consent of both people involved.
The allegations are only the latest from Lizza, who is in the midst of a sprawling, scathing Substack series after calling off his engagement to Nuzzi in September 2024.
At the time, he claimed an affair between Nuzzi and RFK Jr, 71, was the reason.
After the news broke, Nuzzi was put on leave by New York Magazine. She was fully ousted in October 2024. She is Vanity Fair’s new west coast editor and is on the verge of publishing a book called American Canto about the recent scandal.
In ‘Part One’ of his series, Lizza claimed Nuzzi had not only cheated on him with Kennedy but with former Republican Rep. Mark Sanford.
The artist, Isabelle Brourman (pictured in 2018), was armed with a recording device secretly hidden in her bag, the former Politico reporter wrote on Substack Wednesday
Feds recently revealed the young man who attempted to assassinate Trump , 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, had a long record of espousing political violence. They also said he acted alone
In the follow-up, Lizza detailed erotic poetry allegedly sent to his then-girlfriend by Kennedy.
‘Yr open mouth awaiting my harvest,” the Health Secretary is alleged to have said at the time.
In the most recent installment, Lizza wrote how, through a practice often referred to as ‘catch-and-kill’, Nuzzi allegedly snapped up damaging storylines that would have damaged Kennedy Jr.’s campaign.
‘What you have been reading about here is not really a scandal about sex, but a scandal about journalistic ethics,’ wrote Lizza.
The strategy helped negotiate the terms of Kennedy’s eventual endorsement of Trump and positioned Kennedy Jr. for a spot in his Cabinet, he claimed.
Kennedy Jr. called off his campaign in August 2024, and in her recent memoir, Nuzzi admitted to being attracted to Kennedy around this time. She has maintained it was non-physical and did not influence her reporting.
Kennedy, meanwhile, has denied the affair. He remains married to 60-year-old Cheryl Hines.
As the claims continue to mount, Nuzzi’s Vanity Fair job could be in jeopardy.
LIzza, formerly a journalist for Politico, left readers guessing at what was said
‘What you have been reading about here is not really a scandal about sex, but a scandal about journalistic ethics,’ wrote Lizza of Nuzzi, who he said sought to get RFK Jr elected over Trump following a fling in 2023
The revelations about Nuzzi’s alleged affair with Sanford could see her ousted from her new role at Vanity Fair, with bosses there investigating.
A rep who spoke with The New York Times told the paper: ‘We were taken by surprise, and we are looking at all the facts.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Brourman and Nuzzi for comment, as well as representatives for Vanity Fair.
