The ex-boyfriend of former New York Magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi has claimed she used a sketch artist to secretly surveil Donald Trump at his home in Mar-a-Lago.
The artist, Isabelle Brourman, was armed with a recording device secretly hidden in her bag, former Politico reporter Ryan Lizza wrote in a Substack piece published Wednesday.
Brourman went on the alleged mission at Nuzzi's behest, Lizza wrote - describing how his then-girlfriend successfully convinced New York Magazine to commission the artist to draw a portrait of Trump.
After arriving under those pretenses, Brourman heard Trump making a claim about the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, that, if true, 'would shatter our understanding of recent history,' according to Lizza.
The writer, however, left readers guessing at what was said. Lizza's claim came in part four of an eight part series about his relationship with Nuzzi, meaning readers may learn what Trump allegedly said in part five.
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.
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.
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.