Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attracted internet attention this week after sharing a video of himself handling a pair of nonvenomous black racer snakes, his latest viral wildlife encounter.
In the video, shared on Kennedy's personal X account Tuesday, the health secretary is seen wrangling the snakes with his bare hands, holding the creatures up to the camera as his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, cheers him on in the background.
According to Kennedy, the snakes were found on a patio at the home of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. The property in the video appears to be Oz's beachfront mansion in Palm Beach, Florida.
"Cheryl cheerleads the removal of a pair of Black Racers from Dr Oz's patio," Kennedy captioned the clip.
The video begins with a shoeless Kennedy, dressed in a button-down shirt, trousers, and a tie, approaching the snakes slowly, crouching down as the snakes slither into a corner of the patio.
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wrangled the reptiles from the patio of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator for Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr via Storyful
Kennedy then lunges toward the snakes, grappling with the creatures for several seconds before maintaining control of the pair, which then appear to snap at his hands and wrists, attempting to bite him.
A third person can be heard laughing in the background of the video as Kennedy shows off the snakes to the camera. Hines is also heard warning Kennedy to put the snakes down and "let them go."
Popular Reads
According to the National Park Service, the Southern black racer is "non-venomous and harmless to humans as long as they are left alone."
"Black racers can resemble another snake, the venomous water moccasin," the agency states. "People who mistake black racers with their venomous cousin may not think twice to confirm whether the species is harmful or not before taking extreme action! If you come across a snake in the wild and are not sure what species it is, the best course of action is to leave it alone!"
Kennedy's snake capture is the latest in a series of viral wildlife encounters that he has shared with the public.
In 2024, Kennedy shared in a video in which he said he had placed a dead "young bear" in Central Park back in 2014.
Also in 2024, Kennedy posted a video to social media showing him capturing and handling a rattlesnake before letting it go free.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association told ABC News in September 2024 that it was investigating Kennedy after the resurfacing of a decades-old incident in which Kennedy allegedly transported a dead whale's head across state lines.
Kennedy addressed the investigation at the time, saying at a campaign event for then-presidential candidate Donald Trump that he had "received a letter from the National Marine Fisheries Institute saying that they were investigating me for collecting a whale specimen 20 years ago."
NOAA said in a statement to The Hill in October 2024 that it had "determined the allegation to be unfounded" and had closed its investigation.
