Cheryl Hines found herself in a tense confrontation on national television as she defended her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s qualifications to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
The actress appeared on ABC’s “The View” on Tuesday, where she faced pointed questions from co-host Sunny Hostin about Kennedy’s credentials for the position.
The exchange quickly escalated into one of the more contentious moments on the daytime talk show.
Hines, known for her role in “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” came prepared to advocate for her husband’s experience in public health issues.
The 60-year-old star emphasized Kennedy’s extensive legal work against major corporations over the course of his career.
“He has dedicated his career to suing big corporations because of toxins that have been affecting people’s health,” Hines stated during the broadcast.
Her defense centered on Kennedy’s track record as an environmental attorney and his efforts to hold large companies accountable.
She highlighted specific cases where Kennedy took on industry giants in court.
Hines pointed to his involvement in litigation against Monsanto over Roundup, a pesticide that has been linked to cancer cases in multiple lawsuits across the country.
The actress continued listing her husband’s legal battles against corporate America.
“He sued Dupont, he sued Exxon, and he sued these companies for health reasons, because they were causing health problems,” she explained to the panel and studio audience.
Hines argued that these legal victories demonstrated Kennedy’s deep understanding of health-related issues.
She maintained that his work protecting ordinary Americans from harmful chemicals and corporate negligence prepared him for the health secretary role.
Hostin, however, challenged Kennedy’s suitability for the cabinet position.
The 56-year-old co-host raised concerns about his lack of traditional medical credentials and formal training in public health administration.
“But the problem, respectfully, is that your husband is the least qualified Department of Health and Human Services head that we’ve had in history,” Hostin asserted.
Her statement drew a strong reaction from both Hines and the studio audience.
Hines quickly countered Hostin’s claim with a pointed question that referenced past appointments.
“Less qualified than an economist?” she asked, appearing surprised by the assessment and suggesting that previous health secretaries also lacked medical degrees.
Hostin stood firm in her position despite Hines’s counterargument.
“I think he is less qualified,” she responded without hesitation, maintaining her original stance on Kennedy’s preparedness for the role.
The discussion grew more contentious as Hines refused to concede ground on her husband’s expertise.
“He has spent his career studying toxins, studying people’s health, fighting for one guy who was using Roundup for his job,” she insisted, her voice rising slightly.
The actress continued to emphasize Kennedy’s dedication to individual cases and his willingness to take on powerful interests.
She portrayed him as a champion for ordinary Americans who had been harmed by corporate negligence and environmental hazards.
Hostin then raised broader concerns about Kennedy’s public statements and their impact on public health discourse.
“He has also spread a lot of misinformation, a lot of chaos, a lot of confusion,” she said to audience applause.
“And I think it’s just a very dangerous thing. I say it with the utmost respect.”
The co-host’s comments reflected widespread criticism of Kennedy from medical professionals and public health experts.
Many have expressed concern about his previous statements on vaccines and other health-related topics that contradict mainstream medical consensus.
Hines attempted to address what she viewed as double standards regarding information accuracy during public health crises.
“Listen, we all have different views here,” she began, trying to steer the conversation.
“And when you say misinformation, disinformation, we could go back to Covid when…”
Before the actress could complete her thought and make her point about pandemic-era messaging, Hostin interjected with a specific example.
“He’s connected circumcision to autism,” she stated, referencing recent remarks by Kennedy.
The interruption prompted a sharp response from Hines, who clearly felt she was being unfairly prevented from explaining her position.
“May I finish?” she snapped, visibly frustrated by being cut off mid-sentence.
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The tense exchange referenced recent statements made by Kennedy regarding circumcision and autism rates.
Last week, the health secretary suggested a potential link between the procedure and increased autism diagnoses in American children.
Kennedy had stated that two studies indicated elevated autism rates among circumcised boys.
“There’s two studies which show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, and it’s highly likely because they were given Tylenol,” he said in his original comments.
Kennedy later attempted to clarify his remarks on social media following backlash from medical experts.
The Daily Mail noted that he posted on X that he was not linking circumcision itself to autism, but rather the use of acetaminophen for pain management following the procedure.
