Cheryl Hines Praises 'Genuine' and 'Warm' Donald Trump as a 'Strong Leader': Watch

Actress Cheryl Hines, wife of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., sang the praises of President Donald Trump, calling him a “strong leader” in an interview on the "Tomi Lahren Is Fearless" podcast.

The Curb Your Enthusiasm actress gushed about the 79-year-old president, describing him as "warm" and "genuine" following their first meeting.

While she and her husband have historically identified as lifelong Democrats and previously opposed his candidacy, her recent comments reflect a shift in her personal perspective on her husband’s boss.

"He's a strong leader. He's a direct person. He says what he wants to when he wants to ... He really knows how to connect to people and knows how to make them feel included,” she said.

"I've found the president to be a very genuine person,” she added.

Hines noted that Trump was "more interested in people than I expected" and described him as "very gracious" during their interaction.

“When President Trump first came on the political scene, I did not think that — I didn’t know what to think about it because it didn’t seem like a fit. But also, I really didn’t know anything about him other than him being an entertainer,” Hines told Lahren.

“Even though, of course, he’s a real estate mogul and developer and all that, as well as being huge in show business, that's all I knew of him, and I didn't have any ideas about him as a politician because he hadn’t been in politics. So I thought, ok this is probably not going to work out,” she laughed.

The actress said she was compelled to take a deeper dive into the cult of Trump.

"And then he captured the attention and imagination of half the country, and that’s when I stepped back and said, ‘Oh, ok, I think I am missing something. I’m not seeing something that half of the country is seeing," she explained. "In the last few years, when he became the candidate again in this last election, I thought, 'Oh ok, I need to really pay attention to why he connects with so many people, and he’s a strong leader.'"

The 60-year-old Hines, who is Kennedy's third wife, commented on Trump's brash demeanor, awkwardly praising him for his bluntness.

"He’s a direct person. He says what he wants to," Hines uncomfortably laughed. "He’s not careful about his words, and people like that. People appreciate it. And they think that he’s speaking to them personally. That’s certainly one of his skills. He really knows how to connect to people and how to make them feel included.”

She also thanked him for hiring her controversially anti-vaxx husband.

"I have an appreciation for him giving Bobby the opportunity that he’s given him," she said.

The actress, who has been widely scorned by her largely liberal Hollywood peers, mentioned that some of her Democratic pals "went insane" after she met with Trump, highlighting the social and professional pressure she faced following her husband's widely scorned alliance with the president.

Earlier in 2025, public interactions between Hines and Trump were scrutinized, including a perceived "snub" at a UFC event, which was later dismissed after photos showed the two in friendly conversation.