Videos of President Donald Trump appearing to snub actress Cheryl Hines, who is married to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a UFC match on Saturday evening are spreading like wildfire on social media, but don’t show the entire story.
“This is clickbait. He went back to her,” former senior RFK Jr. advisor Link Lauren posted to X, showing a photo of Trump chatting with his HHS secretary and Cheryl Hines during the UFC match.
Trump joined the UFC match in Miami on Saturday night alongside members of his Cabinet, and was seen shaking Kennedy’s hand after entering the arena to wild cheers, but appeared to ignore greeting Hines despite her reaching out for a handshake. Hines was seen pulling her hand away as Trump moved to greet other attendees.
Video of the exchange has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, while also generating headlines both in the U.S. and abroad speculating that the president “snubbed” Hines.
“Cheryl Hines getting blown off for a handshake by President Trump is just missing the Curb theme music,” one user posted to X, referring to Hines starring on the hit show “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
“Curb theme music – Trump showing no love for Cheryl Hines,” another post on X reads.
Hines’ publicist Ann Gurrola told Fox Digital on Sunday that she did not attend the event and could not comment, but added that it appeared, based on reports, that Trump circled back to shake Hines’ hand and that videos of Trump appearing to snub Hines was likely “simply an oversight.” While an administration official added in comment to Fox Digital on Sunday that the president did not snub Hines.
ACTRESS CHERYL HINES WON’T BE AT EVERY RFK JR. POLITICAL EVENT, SAYS SHE HAS HER ‘OWN CAREER’
Fox Digital obtained another photo showing Trump speaking with Hines and others ahead of the UFC fight on Saturday.
X users have also shared footage and a screenshot showing Trump chatting with both Kennedy and Hines, indicating he circled back to talk to the couple.
“President Trump spoke with Cheryl Hines last night at UFC 314. There were some reports that Trump may have ‘snubbed’ Hines (wife of RFK Jr) at the event, but the footage below shows that was not the case,” one X user posted, accompanied by video footage of Trump speaking with Hines.
“No, President Trump did not ‘snub’ RFK Jr’s wife, Cheryl Hines. He didn’t see her hand, and went back after he was done greeting Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, as seen in the picture below,” another X user posted.
“Video goes viral with social media users claiming Trump ‘snubbed’ RFK Jr’s wife Cheryl Hines at the UFC 314. However, Trump appeared to not see her hand for the handshake and later went back to greet her and her husband,” another X user posted.
The reports come after Hines previously criticized Trump and his rhetoric as “ridiculous and disrespectful,” but has joined a handful of Trump-related events at Mar-a-Lago and the White House since her husband endorsed Trump over the summer and ultimately became his HHS chief this year.
