Scathing NY Times Report Questions If Jack Schlossberg Is Capable of Public Service

AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of ex-President John F. Kennedy, was on the receiving end of a scathing report Thursday about how he’s run his Congressional campaign – explicitly raising questions about his fitness to serve in public office.

Schlossberg, who briefly served as a political correspondent for Vogue during the 2024 election (although he rarely published), has long been a media darling and has been endorsed by Democratic Party leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

The report by Nicholas Fandos begins with an unflattering but illustrative anecdote about Schlossberg’s behavior on the day he launched his bid to replace outgoing Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) in New York’s 12th.

Fandos reports that Schlossberg’s staff had set him up with a list of key calls to make to party elders and wealthy donors the day of his launch, to prove he was a serious contender.

“But just hours into his Day 1 launch, the candidate abruptly announced a change of plans, according to three people familiar with the events. Forget dialing for dollars — Mr. Schlossberg said he needed a nap. He then effectively disappeared for the day, leaving his team reeling,” wrote Fandos, adding:

The incident would be unusual for any candidate for high office, especially one representing the beating heart of Manhattan. For Mr. Schlossberg, a first-time candidate with little traditional work experience, it was evidently par for the course.

Fandos goes on to note that Schlossberg’s “fame, charisma and creativity” have secured him a narrow lead in the crowded Democratic Party primary, but added that “behind the scenes, a group of fellow Democrats, family friends, union leaders and others with direct knowledge of the campaign described an operation so erratic and plagued by turnover that it raises questions about how he might handle himself as a member of Congress.”

In the detailed report, Fandos adds that Schlossberg gained a reputation for blowing off “weekly strategy meetings called for his benefit, and made a habit of disappearing for long stretches with little notice or explanation. (He did carve out time to swim or paddleboard in the Hudson most days).”

The Times also noted Schlossberg’s unconventional social media presence, which has also sparked controversy over the years. “He has pushed boundaries on social media — so far, in one case, that a sitting congressman privately complained that Mr. Schlossberg had mimicked his Instagram commentary about President Trump and Venezuela without crediting him,” reported Fandos.

Schlossberg’s campaign launch last November was widely mocked on both sides for its social media rollout, which included what many saw as an incredibly juvenile set of campaign promises and an odd slogan. He posted several video clips and graphics to launch his campaign, including a list of 12 ways he plans to serve his constituents (including platitudes like “optimism” and “creativity”), and a slogan, “Jack for NY” – which quickly found critics.

The New York Post ran an article listing Schlossberg’s more bonkers social media history. The article noted, “The 32-year-old former Vogue political correspondent — who has more than 1.7 million followers across X, Instagram and TikTok — also has a history of crude and bizarre rants ranging from mocking his cousin RFK Jr.’s spasmodic dysphonia to posting a recipe that calls for ‘Jew blood.'”

Fandos ended his report detailing how Schlossberg made a potential hire uncomfortable during a hiring call. “And Mr. Schlossberg has churned through staff at a head-turning pace. In the six months since he entered the race, he has had at least two campaign managers, two field directors, a handful of advisers and a rotating cast of consultants,” noted Fandos of the campaign’s staffing issues.

Fandos then explained the awkward call, “But toward the end of the session, Mr. Schlossberg unexpectedly slammed his hands on the table and pushed his face close to the camera to address her. She recalled him using her name and repeating that he wanted her, that he needed her. She said she believed he was referring to working on the campaign, but that his flirtatious tone made her uncomfortable.” Schlossberg’s campaign manager insisted to Fandos that the call never took place.

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