How Savage New Matriarch of Kennedy Clan 'Icily Blacklisted' RFK Jr. and Cheryl Hines From Family's July 4 Festivities — Leaving Them 'Bereft, Insulted, Heartbroken and P**sed'
New Kennedy family matriarch Kerry Kennedy iced out RFK Jr. and Cheryl Hines from their annual holiday tradition.
July 21 2025, Published 2:40 p.m. ET
An "icy" new Kennedy family matriarch has emerged, and she's already causing friction with one of her powerful siblings and his celebrity wife, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Kerry Kennedy, 65, "banned" older brother Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 71, and actress Cheryl Hines, 59, from the clan's annual July 4th festivities at their compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The move seemed intentional since the staunch Democrat's sibling is President Donald Trump's Secretary of Health and Human Services, but his liberal wife was "insulted" by Kerry's savage snub.
Noticeably Absent
RFK Jr. and Hines were noticeably not among the revelers at the family's July 4th festivities.
Kerry shared a photo on the holiday showing a large gathering of family members and friends, standing next to the ocean for a group snapshot.
"Happy birthday Chris, Kathleen, and America!" the new family matriarch wrote in the caption of her Instagram post, referring to how it was also her brother Chris Kennedy's 62nd birthday.
Noticeably absent were RFK Jr. and Hines. The Curb Your Enthusiasm star was said to feel "bereft, insulted, heartbroken, and p-----" for herself and her husband about Kerry's cold shoulder.
While RFK Jr. is used to disdain from his siblings over the years due to his anti-vaccines stance and now being a member of Trump's controversial administration, Hines was "thrilled being part of the Kennedy family" and devastated by being blackballed from the holiday celebrations.
'Bobby really doesn't give a s--- about his sister's disinvitation and her blacklist. He has the country's health to deal with," the insider added.
Thrilled to Become a Kennedy
Hines was overjoyed to marry into the Kennedy family.
RFK Jr. and Hines married in August 2014, with the star becoming the environmental lawyer's third wife. The wedding took place at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port,
Two months before the nuptials, The Flight Attendant star gushed over her future in-laws.
"I come from a big family, and the Kennedys are a big family. It feels natural," Hines raved. "When I met them, they were all very genuine and gracious. I was surprised. I didn't know what to expect or who they are. They're the most generous people I've ever met."
Running the Show
Kerry has stepped into her late mother's shoes as the Kennedy family matriarch.
RFK Jr.'s late mother, Ethel Kennedy, had served as the Kennedy family matriarch until her death in October 2024 at the age of 96. Now, Kerry has taken over the role of overseeing her nine siblings and their families.
"Kerry firmly let it be known that she's followed matriarch Ethel's wish to lead the family and she's clearly running the show," said another insider.
The seventh child of Ether and the late Robert F. Kennedy cemented herself even further in Democrat circles when she married former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 1990, merging two American political dynasties. The duo went on to share three children and separated in 2003, divorcing in 2005.
Kerry made it clear during the 2024 Democratic convention that she and her family were staunch supporters of Joe Biden, despite her brother's allegiance to Trump.
"Nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden," Kerry said, speaking for the family while sharing a stage with Biden in Philadelphia. "That’s right: The Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president."
Hines' Suffering
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Hines has faced backlash for standing by her husband after he aligned himself with Donald Trump.
Hines' snub by the Kennedy family is the latest signal that her alliance to her husband and his participation in the Trump administration has cost her personally and professionally.
A source told RadarOnline.com in February, after RFK Jr's congressional confirmation hearings: "People absolutely loathe and detest her. She's become a virtual pariah for standing by him.
"Bobby's such a divisive figure, and she's become a guilty party in the chaos."
"Cheryl has every right to feel worried by association. The other Kennedys have turned on her as well," the source spilled while noting that Bobby's cousin Caroline Kennedy called him a "predator" in a message to senators urging them to deny his HHS nomination.
Our insider went on: "Not a whole lot of people are feeling sorry for Cheryl. People are grossed out by how she's stuck with him."
