Robert F Kennedy Jr, filmed grabbing two snakes with his bare hands. “Bobby please let them go”
A video of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. catching two snakes with his bare hands posted on his X account has gone viral on social media while drawing criticism from wildlife officials, the BBC reports.
Images released Tuesday by Kennedy, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, show him grabbing the tails of non-venomous black snakes as they struggle and even appear to bite him.
The scene unfolded on the patio of the Florida beach house of his colleague, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
On the footage, Kennedy's wife can be heard asking her husband to let them go.
“Honey, let them go. Oh my God. Bobby, please,” Cheryl is heard saying on the recording.
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
The opinions of netizens were divided. While some were amused, others were outraged.
Herpetologists said the species in the video is mostly harmless to humans, even if it does bite. At the same time, they said people should be aware of the stress they cause snakes and avoid grabbing their tails, as Kennedy does in the video, as this can cause spinal injuries.
“Black house snakes are non-venomous and are harmless to humans as long as they are not disturbed,” according to the National Park Service.
An avid outdoorsman, Kennedy has posted numerous photos and videos of himself interacting with wildlife over the years. He also talked about such incidents, admitting, among other things, that he once hid a bear carcass in New York's Central Park as a joke, AP notes.
