Politics

Cheryl Hines tells RFK Jr. that late mom Ethel Kennedy was ‘proud’ of him as she breaks public silence after Olivia Nuzzi affair

Cheryl Hines broke her silence after husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s sexting scandal with star political reporter Olivia Nuzzi — by commenting on a post memorializing his mother, Ethel Kennedy, who died Thursday at age 96.

“God gave her 34 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and the energy to give them all the attention they required,” .

“He blessed her with a rich and eventful life. Even as she declined in recent months, she never lost her sense of fun, her humor, her spark, her spunk, and her joie de vivre.

“She wrung joy from every moment, but for 56 years she has spoken with yearning of the day she would reunite with her beloved husband.” the Democratic dynasty scion continued.

Robert Kennedy Jr.’s Instagram tribute to his late mother Ethel Kennedy, who died on Thursday. @robertfkennedyjr/Instagram

“This is beautiful. Your mother was very proud of you,” Hines, 59, wrote, punctuating her comment with a white heart emoji.

The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star, who married RFK Jr. in 2014, , writing it had been her “great honor to have shared laughter and love with Ethel. Her charisma, wisdom and strength will live on with me in every memory of her.”

Hines wrote that she and her embattled husband — who has e♔ndor🐈sed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump — “spent many warm nights in Hyannis Port having dinner with her and hearing stories from her extraordinary life.

“She always made me laugh. She was never too serious except when she needed to be. She dressed to nines with bare feet. She will be missed. My love is with the family.”

She also posted a video of her sitting wi📖th the Kennedy matriarch at the family compound in💎 Hyannis Port, Mass.

Hines’ heartfelt posts and message to her husband came in the wake of reports the couple have since the Nuzzi sexting scandal broke late last month.

Cheryl Hines dedicated this and another post to memorialize her late mother-in-law. @ _cherylhines/Instagram

Kennedy initially denied that he had any s🐼ort of relationship with the then-engaged 31-year-old New York magazine reporteꦰr.

His campaign insisted he “only met Olivia Nuzz💟i once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece.”

New York Magazine political reporter Olivia Nuzzi became “obsessed” with RFJ Jr. after the pol “love bombed” her. AFP via Getty Images

that is not the whole truth.

Kennedy “love-bombed” Nuzzi in the months leading up to and after the profile, according to insiders. He even meaningfully grabbed her arm during their one meeting for the piece, which was co🥀nducted as the pair hiked near his Brentwood, Calif., estate.

After Kennedy repeatedly texted Nuzzi, she she become obsessed. The pair wou𒁏ld have hours-long phone conversations, and even said “I love you” when ge𒊎tting off the phone, according to sources.

Nuzzi’s ex-fiance Ryan Lizza, 50, apparently found out about the affair in Aug🀅ust — and confrওonted Kennedy over the phone. was the person who made it known to her New York magazine that she was engaging romantically with RFK Jr.

Nuzzi was placed on leave from the publication after “she had en💜gaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,” it said.

She has also obtained a against Lizza,💞 50, who sh🌃e accuses of exposing the tryst and threatening to reveal more of her personal information.

RFK Jr. has sin♏𓂃ce been at the same time as the Nuzzi scandal.

Those three women reportedly met the environmental lawyer through his anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, according to reports. He maintains that this story is untrue and that he “had no romantic relationships with any woman other than his wiᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚfe since their marriage.”

Al Gore, Ethel Kennedy, Cheryl Hines and Robert Kennedy Jr. at the Ripple of Hope Awards dinner in 2011. Rob Kim

Despite that claim, insiders say 💧that 🎀he and Hines may be .

They were at a Starbucks in Malibu. Keen-eyed observers noticed that Hines was not wearing her 🔯wedding ring for the outing.