US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has captured the fascination of the internet after posting a video of himself wrangling two snakes barehanded on Dr Mehmet Oz's patio.
The extraordinary footage, which quickly accumulated millions of views on X, shows the prominent political figure casually seizing the reptiles by their tails whilst onlookers react with a mixture of terror and amazement.
For those unfamiliar with his background, the high-risk viral video serves as a vivid reminder of the cabinet secretary's lifelong, deeply public obsession with the animal kingdom. Following the viral video, a resurfaced childhood photo of RFK Jr has since emerged online, providing a clear explanation for his deep fascination with animals.
Chaotic and Dangerous Oceanfront Encounter
The impromptu wildlife extraction took place on a sunny, oceanfront patio belonging to Dr Oz, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In the video shared on Kennedy's personal social media accounts, the two long, dark reptiles can be seen thrashing violently and striking out in the direction of his bare fingers.
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
As Dr Oz asks questions about the creatures, Kennedy's wife, the actress Cheryl Hines, can be heard shouting in genuine horror from behind the camera, 'Why?' before pleading with her husband, 'Honey, let them go!' Adding, 'Bobby, please. Bobby, please. Bobby, Bobby, please.'
Despite the visible distress of his family, a laughing Kennedy safely removed the creatures from the immediate social area. According to a report by the Associated Press, the reptiles were identified as North American black racer snakes, a fast-moving, non-venomous species known for its defensive temperament when cornered.
RFK Jr.'s Resurfaced Childhood Photos
Whilst the internet reacted with a blend of incredulity and alarm, the casual handling of predatory reptiles is entirely consistent with Kennedy's upbringing. Raised as an avid outdoorsman, Kennedy was fascinated by biology and animals from his earliest years, even transforming parts of his childhood home into a small-scale zoo.
According to an archival report by PetPlace, Kennedy previously opened up about the origins of his passion. 'I just was born with the interest. I raised homing pigeons, ducks and pheasant since I was 11, and I started handling red-tailed hawks when I was 12 years old', he stated. This intensive immersion into nature eventually led him to become a licensed master falconer.
Say what you will, RFK Jr. has been remarkably on brand since childhood
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) May 26, 2026
(That’s him showing his uncle a salamander in a jar in the Oval Office in 1961) https://t.co/fdPx6f2kAP pic.twitter.com/v2STrU1VJl
The depth of this lifelong obsession is further illustrated by a series of resurfaced historical photographs. In one notable image from March 1961, a seven-year-old Kennedy is seen visiting the Oval Office, where he proudly presented a captured salamander named 'Shadrach' to his uncle, then US President John F Kennedy.
This formative history directly explains the absolute lack of hesitation displayed in the viral video. It clearly demonstrates to modern audiences that his comfort level with wild predators was established decades before his entry into national politics.
RFK Jr.'s History With Animals
The oceanfront snake encounter is merely the latest chapter in a long history of unconventional animal interactions that have defined Kennedy's public persona. Only earlier this month, the health secretary posted an image detailing his hands-on rescue of a trapped starling at Dulles Airport in northern Virginia.
Furthermore, during his presidential campaign trail, he published a video capturing himself using a basic net and a trowel to subdue a highly venomous rattlesnake discovered in his California driveway, showing its exposed fangs directly to the lens.
Despite his lifelong fascination with wildlife, Kennedy has repeatedly faced scrutiny over alleged disturbing behaviour involving animals, as reported by People.
In a letter sent to senators, his cousin Caroline Kennedy claimed the falconer 'enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in a blender to feed to his hawks,' describing it as 'a perverse scene of despair and violence.'
Other stories from RFK Jr.'s past have also resurfaced. In a 2012 interview with Town & Country, his daughter Kick Kennedy recalled how he once used a chainsaw to remove the head of a dead whale before strapping it to the roof of the family minivan for a five-hour drive home. She said whale fluid poured through the car windows during the trip, forcing the family to wear plastic bags over their heads.
Looking forward to seeing how you spin this one, @NewYorker… pic.twitter.com/G13taEGzba
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) August 4, 2024
Furthermore, RFK Jr. also admitted to dumping a dead bear cub in Central Park after initially planning to take the roadkill home for meat following a falconing trip in upstate New York. The bizarre incident later became national news. Separate reports have additionally claimed RFK Jr. once cut the penis off a road-killed raccoon.
