US Health Secretary RFK Jr. Goes Viral Handling Snakes Barehanded at Dr. Oz's Florida Home
A video of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. grabbing two black racer snakes with his bare hands at a Florida beach house has gone viral, drawing mixed reactions from wildlife experts and the public.
The Incident
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a video to social media on May 26, 2026, showing him removing a pair of snakes from the patio of a seaside home in Florida. The property belongs to his colleague, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and a well-known television personality. In the footage, Kennedy, dressed in a shirt, tie, dress pants, and socks but no shoes, crouches down and grabs the two writhing reptiles by their tails before lifting them toward the camera with a smile.
These are black racers!
Reactions from the Scene
Throughout the video, Kennedy's wife, actress Cheryl Hines, can be heard repeatedly asking him to be careful and to put the snakes down. Her anxious voice is audible in the background, calling out "Bobby, please" and questioning his actions. Dr. Oz is also heard off-camera, inquiring about the species of the snakes. Despite the warnings, Kennedy continues to handle the animals, which appear to bite his hands as they try to escape.
Expert Analysis
Wildlife experts identified the reptiles as Southern black racers (Coluber constrictor), a non-venomous species common in the southeastern United States, particularly in Florida. According to the National Park Service, these snakes are harmless to humans if left undisturbed. However, herpetologists criticized Kennedy's handling technique. Bonnie Keller, a former board member of the Virginia Herpetological Society, stated that grabbing snakes by the tail can cause spinal injuries and significant stress to the animals.
I definitely would not handle snakes that way, but I am a professional.
Sean McKnight, director of the Rattlesnake Conservancy, added that any handling of wild animals should be minimized to avoid unnecessary stress. Professional snake catcher Bruce Ireland gave Kennedy a score of 9.6 out of 10 for his ability to identify non-venomous snakes but noted he would have bent his knees more and stayed lower to the ground. Sara Ruane, a herpetologist, commented that while she applauds anyone who touches a snake without using a shovel, it was far from the best snake handling she had ever seen.
A Pattern of Controversial Animal Encounters
The incident is the latest in a series of controversial interactions Kennedy has had with animals. During his 2024 presidential campaign, he shared a video of himself catching a rattlesnake on his California driveway using a net. Earlier this year, he posted a photo holding a rescued bird at Dulles Airport in Virginia. He has also faced scrutiny for admitting that in 2014, he collected a dead bear cub hit by a car and left its carcass in New York's Central Park as a prank, claiming he had a freezer full of such roadkill. During a congressional hearing, he was questioned about revelations that he once dissected a dead raccoon for research purposes.
Public Response
The video quickly went viral, amassing over 7 million views on X within hours. Online reactions were mixed, with some users amused and others expressing concern. One commenter joked about a "snake oil salesman removing snakes," while another referenced the caduceus of Hermes, saying Kennedy was "recreating mythology." It remains unclear what happened to the snakes after they were removed from the property.
