Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known anti-vaccine advocate, has recently made headlines with his controversial remarks about COVID-19. These comments have not only sparked public outrage but have also reportedly put a strain on his nine-year marriage to actress Cheryl Hines, according to insiders.
Kennedy, a Democratic presidential contender, ignited a firestorm when he suggested that COVID-19 was engineered to target certain ethnic groups while sparing others. He was quoted as saying, "Covid-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese." He added, "We don’t know whether it was deliberately targeted or not.”
While Kennedy has maintained that his comments were not anti-Semitic, a video published by The New York Post showed him speaking at a dinner in Manhattan about bioweapons and "ethnically targeted microbes." His remarks have been widely condemned, including by his sister, Kerry Kennedy, and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Kerry Kennedy, president of the non-profit group Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, released a statement saying, "I strongly condemn my brother’s deplorable and untruthful remarks last week about Covid being engineered for ethnic targeting. His statements do not represent what I believe or what Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights stand for, with our 50+-year track record of protecting rights and standing against racism and all forms of discrimination.”
The backlash has reportedly caused a rift between Kennedy and his wife, Cheryl Hines, known for her role in HBO’s sitcom "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Sources close to the Kennedy family have revealed that Hines is "upset and angry" about her husband's comments and the subsequent media coverage.
“Throughout their marriage, Cheryl has bitten her tongue and tolerated Bobby’s extreme views, but going as far as to suggest Covid was targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people — while Jewish people were most immune — was totally beyond the pale,” an insider said. “It has made her sick to her stomach.”
This is not the first time Kennedy's remarks have caused controversy. In 2022, he compared COVID mask mandates to Nazi Germany’s horrific policies, leading Hines to publicly distance herself from her husband's views on Twitter.
Despite the ongoing controversy, insiders suggest that Hines still loves her husband, but his intense and hot-headed nature is causing tension in their relationship. "Cheryl has the patience of a saint, but there’s only so much she’ll be able to take,” the source added.