RFK Jr Snake Catching Viral Video: US Health Secretary Seen Picking Up Black Racer Snakes Bare-Handed As Cheryl Hines Reacts in Shock
A viral video shows US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr grabbing two black racer snakes with his bare hands at Dr Mehmet Oz’s Florida beach house while wife Cheryl Hines reacts in alarm. Wildlife officials warned people not to handle snakes, even nonvenomous ones. The clip is the latest in a series of unusual animal-related incidents involving Kennedy.
A video showing US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr picking up two live snakes with his bare hands has gone viral online, prompting reactions from viewers and renewed warnings from wildlife officials about handling reptiles. The video, shared by RFK Jr on social media Tuesday, May 26, was filmed at a beachfront property owned by Dr Mehmet Oz in Florida.
Kennedy identified the snakes as black racers and said he was removing them from Dr Oz’s patio while his wife, actor Cheryl Hines, watched nearby. The clip quickly drew attention online after viewers noticed the snakes appeared to bite Kennedy during the encounter. Robert F Kennedy Jr Allegedly Chopped Off Dead Raccoon’s Private Parts To ‘Study Later’.
RFK Jr Removes Black Racer Snakes Bare-Handed
Cheryl cheerleads the removal of a pair of Black Racers from Dr Oz's patio. pic.twitter.com/A0iiRzOeIF
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 26, 2026
“Cheryl cheerleads the removal of a pair of Black Racers from Dr Oz’s patio,” Kennedy wrote in the caption accompanying the video. The video shows Kennedy approaching the snakes barefoot before crouching down and grabbing the reptiles by hand. As he lifted them for the camera, Cheryl Hines repeatedly reacted with concern.
“Honey, honey, let them go! Oh my God. Bobby, please!” Hines is heard saying in the video. At one point, Kennedy acknowledged the snakes were biting him after someone off-camera asked, “Are they biting?” “Yeah,” Kennedy replied while continuing to hold the snakes. Another voice in the video remarked that the snakes “were having sex” before Kennedy picked them up. ‘They Have Gone Crazy’: Donald Trump Slams NYT, CNN, and WSJ Over West Asia and Iran Conflict Coverage.
Wildlife Officials Issue Reminder
The incident comes as Florida wildlife officials continue urging residents to avoid handling snakes during the spring season, when reptiles become more active. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently advised people to “give snakes a wide berth and admire them from a distance.”
“Resist the urge to pick it up, even our nonvenomous snakes can give a solid bite,” the agency added in a public advisory. According to the National Park Service, black racer snakes are non-venomous and generally harmless to humans if left undisturbed.
The viral video is the latest in a series of unusual animal-related incidents involving Kennedy over the years. Earlier this month, Kennedy shared a photograph of himself holding a live bird following what he described as a rescue at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Kennedy has also faced public scrutiny over past stories involving wildlife. In 2024, he addressed reports that he had transported the head of a dead whale home decades earlier after it washed ashore in Massachusetts.
He was also questioned on Capitol Hill in April about reports connected to a road-killed raccoon, while a previously published photograph showing Kennedy posing with a dead bear carcass resurfaced during last year’s presidential campaign cycle.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2026 09:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
