Sara Haines is defending herself after Cheryl Hines’ appearance on The View (Image: undefined)

The View co-hosts, known for their biting commentary on the Trump Administration, didn’t hold back when it came to questioning Cheryl Hines on her recent appearance on the show. However, Sara Haines has been forced to defend herself after someone accused her of being too soft on their guest.

Haines made an appearance on the ABC show Tuesday, where she was grilled by the panel about her support for her husband, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Haines, who has previously been called out for “tasteless” jokes and forced to issue an apology, however, was less confrontational than some of her peersleading some viewers to feel she didn’t perform well in her role.

On the Behind the Table podcast, Haines, 48, praised the 60-year-old actress for braving the show despite her husband being a frequent topic of discussion, while also defending her own conduct.

“I think she did a great job,” she stated. “I mean, she was coming to a table where her husband has been a hot topic for a long time, and so I commended her for just showing up.”

Hines was a guest on The View on Tuesday’s episode (Image: undefined)

“But then I found that her comedic sense was a good buffer for her because she joked throughout even though we were asking her tough questions,” she added.

“I had some people write me and say, ‘you went easy on her Sara, why didn’t you go harder?’ I don’t think people always appreciate the ensemble of a table,” she added. “We want people at our table, we want people with different views at our table. There’s points when you’re in a group, where you watch things getting tense, and then you try to keep the balance of what the producer’s intention was, which was to cover a lot of stuff.”

Haines, who has served as a regular panelist since 2021, provides an independent perspective, while Hostin, Whoopi Goldberg, and Joy Behar offer more progressive viewpoints, reports the Irish Star.

Ana Navarro, who makes weekly appearances, represents a Republican stance that opposes Trump, whereas Alyssa Farah Griffin, who served under the president during his initial administration, brings a Conservative perspective that occasionally challenges her former employer.

Haines was criticized for not going “harder” on Hines, who is married to Robert F Kennedy Jr (Image: undefined)

The program has consistently maintained a diverse mix of political viewpoints among panelists to foster the spirited discussions that frequently take place.

The panelist who clashed most intensely with Haines during a heated exchange was Hostin, who questioned her spouse’s credentials for the HHS Secretary position.

“But the problem, respectfully, is that your husband is the least qualified Department of Health and Human Services head that we’ve had in history,” Hostin said.

“Less qualified than an economist?” Haines hit back, referring to Barack Obama’s second HHS Secretary, Sylvia Matthews Burwell.

Hines and Sunny Hostin had a heated exchange during the segment (Image: undefined)

Hostin confessed that she believed Kennedy was “less qualified,” and proceeded to critique his controversial remarks over the years.

“He has also spread a lot of misinformation, a lot of chaos, a lot of confusion,” she stated. “And I think it’s just a very dangerous thing. I say it with the utmost respect.”