COUPLESRFK Jr. Suggested Faking a Separation From Wife Cheryl Hines During His Presidential Campaign, Actress Admits
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president in 2024 before dropping out and endorsing Donald Trump.
Oct. 20 2025, Published 1:20 p.m. ET
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested to wife Cheryl Hines that they fake a separation during his presidential campaign.
Though the actress was never involved in any scandal of her own, she admitted things got "dramatic" during that time period because people began criticizing the Curb Your Enthusiasm star for being with the controversial politician.
'Why Don't We Just Say We're Separated?'
Cheryl Hines admitted Robert F. Kennedy suggested they fake a separation so she wouldn't have to 'take the heat' for his controversial comments.
"They were vocally coming at me because I’m married to Bobby," she explained in a new interview. "So Bobby felt like, ‘You shouldn’t be having to take that heat. So why don’t we just say we’re separated?’"
"It was a very sweet notion, but yeah, I didn’t think that was helpful," Hines continued. "What needed to happen — and what did happen — is we got closer together. I understood the sentiment behind it."
Hines got candid about that "unique situation" in her new memoir, Unscripted.
Cheryl Hines Was Worried About Husband's Safety
The actress shot down her spouse's idea but called it 'a sweet notion.'
Aside from being targeted by her husband's haters, Hines found it a "very stressful" time period since she was "very fearful" for her spouse's safety.
"As most people know, his uncle, John Kennedy, was assassinated. His father, Robert Kennedy, was assassinated while he was running for president," she pointed out. "I mean, I saw somebody breaking into our house — watching him walk into the backyard — and I see the security guy coming at him with his weapon out. It’s 10:00 in the morning."
"At the time, Bobby kept requesting Secret Service and kept getting denied," she revealed. "So it was a very stressful time."
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The Actress Butted Heads With 'The View' Stars
Hines clashed with 'The View' stars when she defended RFK Jr.'s views.
The Suburgatory alum has been in the headlines lately as she promotes her new book, even going on The View despite the co-hosts' tendency to talk poorly about her husband.
Things got tense on the Tuesday, October 14 episode, as Sunny Hostin told Hines to her face that RFK Jr. was "the least qualified" person to have the title of Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Whoopi Goldberg noted, "This is not your fight, really, to be fair, this is your husband’s" — however, she admitted that some of his comments are making Americans "nervous."
Sara Haines Compliments Cheryl Hines
A few days after the episode aired, Sara Haines praised Hines for appearing on the ABC series.
"I think she did a great job," Haines shared on the show's "Behind the Table" podcast. "I mean, she was coming to a table where her husband has been a hot topic for a long time. So I commended her for just showing up."
Added Haines, "And then I found that her comedic sense was a good buffer for her, because she joked throughout even though we were asking tough questions."
