New York, New York - Cheryl Hines, the wife of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has defended her husband amid controversy surrounding his leadership.
On Tuesday, Hines sat for an interview on the show The View to discuss her new memoir, but things quickly grew contentious as the panel of co-hosts began criticizing RFK Jr.
As Hines said her husband has "dedicated his career to suing big corporations because of toxins" that affect people's health, host Sunny Hostin argued the problem is that he is "the least qualified Department of Health and Human Services head that we have had in history."
"He has also spread a lot of misinformation, a lot of chaos, a lot of confusion, and I think it's just a very dangerous thing," Hostin added.
As Hines attempted to respond, Hostin interjected, pointing out how RFK Jr. recently "connected circumcision to autism."
"May I finish?" a clearly frustrated Hines clapped back.
Hines went on to discuss how she is "very proud of Bobby," and listed several accomplishments she believes everyone can agree are good things.
At one point, she turned back to Hostin, and said, "The question is, who was running HHS when they allowed lead and arsenic in a baby formula? How is that person not dangerous?"
The truth about the brain worms
Kennedy was a prominent anti-vaccine advocate before President Donald Trump tapped him to head the Health Department.
Since his appointment, he has overseen the firing of countless employees and closure of numerous agencies, spread what critics have deemed medical misinformation, and worked to demonize vaccines by claiming they cause autism.
Hines has been Kennedy's biggest defender, even as the two have gone through marital issues of their own.
As the interview came to a close, host Joy Behar asked Hines one last question.
"Can we just clear one thing before you go? So we don’t have to make any jokes about it – Does he or does he not have a brain worm?" Behar asked, referencing Kennedy's claim that he had a health scare in 2010 involving brain worms.
"It ate just a little bit of his brain and died. So, don't worry," Hines responded, reassuringly.
When host Whoopi Goldberg asked Hines to come back on the show, the surprised actor responded, "Really?" She revealed her husband had wanted to join her, but she told him, "Maybe don't."