Robert F. Kennedy Jr. thanked his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, for supporting him amid allegations of his “digital affair” with reporter Olivia Nuzzi.
The former presidential candidate, 70, spoke to Trump campaign supporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, with the Curb Your Enthusiasm star by his side.
He expressed gratitude for “the most supportive person in this room who supported me during my campaign, Cheryl Hines.”
She later responded by repeating his message of thanks, but added, “Ooh, it was a journey.”
Hines publicly supported her husband when he withdrew from the presidential election and endorsed former President Donald Trump.
She has also said she is not concerned about the allegations surrounding her husband’s affair with the former New York Magazine reporter, despite rumors that she was planning to divorce him.
Former presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. thanked his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, for standing by his side amid allegations of his ‘digital affair’ with reporter Olivia Nuzzi
Nuzzi, 31, the Washington DC political correspondent for New York Magazine, acknowledged in September that she had a sexting relationship with the 70-year-old Kennedy while covering his campaign.
“Earlier this year, the nature of some communications between me and a former journalist became personal,” she said.
‘I did not report directly on the subject at that time or use them as a source.
‘The relationship was never physical, but should have been made public to avoid the appearance of a conflict.
“I deeply regret not doing this immediately and apologize to those I have disappointed, especially my colleagues in New York.”
But Kennedy has insisted he only met the political journalist once, when she profiled him.
Nuzzi, 31, the Washington DC political correspondent for New York Magazine, acknowledged in September that she had a sexting relationship with the 70-year-old Kennedy while covering his campaign
In that profile, Nuzzi described meeting the former presidential candidate at the $7 million California home he shares with his wife.
She painted a picture of RFK Jr. as an anti-establishment candidate, who ‘turned the presidential election upside down’.
“Fear – and denial – is what Kennedy seems to inspire in the staid Washington Establishment that supports the sitting president, and in the anti-Establishment establishment that supports the former president,” she wrote.
She addressed the conflict in RFK Jr.’s marriage. for his appearance on Steve Bannon’s show and that of other right-wing personalities.
“Bannon was just the beginning. Poor Cheryl,” Nuzzi wrote.
At the time the piece was published, RFK Jr. entered the election race as an independent candidate, but has since dropped out and supported Trump.
New York magazine has since acknowledged an inappropriate relationship in a statement about Nuzzi’s hiatus, calling it “a violation of the magazine’s conflict of interest and disclosure standards.”
“Had the magazine been aware of this relationship, it would not have continued to cover the presidential campaign,” the statement said.
Hines has said she is not concerned about reports about her husband’s affairs
Despite news of the affair, Hines and RFK Jr. seen together several times, with the 59-year-old actress immediately rushing to her husband’s side in Massachusetts after his mother, Ethel Kennedy, passed away.
The couple were photographed holding hands at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, in photos obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com.
The actress was also seen holding RFK Jr’s arm as they walked into the church where the funeral of the politician’s mother, Ethel Kennedy, was taking place.
She told me later American weekly that she was not concerned about the reports of her husband’s affair.
“A lot of emotions with rumors,” she said, noting that she will write a book about her experiences.
“People have a lot of feelings about politics, especially in Hollywood, and I don’t know. I mean, so far I feel like it’s okay,” she said.
‘I think it’s fine to have those conversations with people, but for me it doesn’t define someone. For some people it is and it’s like you have no control over it. I can’t help it, so I have to let it happen.’
The Emmy-nominated actress, best known as Cheryl on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, told the outlet that she is focusing on her family.
‘They’re nice. I mean, if I had a boring family, it would be hard. And I think just trying to embrace the unknown and instead of fighting it, is kind of trying to embrace it and just say yes to whatever comes your way,” she said.
“Just to let it flow and find the little moments and not take anything too seriously. Even though I find myself in very serious situations.’