For those who were impressed with how Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. handled two black snakes at Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz’s house over the weekend, he definitely upped the ante.
In a video posted on Wednesday, RFK can be seen removing a rattlesnake, presumably from his home in Los Angeles.
“In response to the many comments about venomous snakes, this video shows how Cheryl and I handled a recent rattlesnake rescue,” Kennedy captioned the newly-posted video.
He used what looked like a fish aquarium net, a plastic bucket, and a trowel of some type to accomplish his mission.
Eventually, the Cabinet official picked up the snake, holding its mouth tightly shut, while he gripped the back end — all while his wife, Cheryl Hines, looked nervously on from the side.
Kennedy identified the snake as a Western diamondback as it rattled away in his hands.
Hines gave him a garbage bag. RFK Jr. then deposited the snake and tied it up, announcing “all safe” while smiling for the camera.
In response to the many comments about venomous snakes, this video shows how Cheryl and I handled a recent rattlesnake rescue. pic.twitter.com/3wRIXmQySV
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 27, 2026
This is certainly not the way I or most other people would have handled the situation. Whenever I see rattlesnakes on the hiking trails in Phoenix, which happened twice already this week, I give them a wide berth.
On Tuesday, RFK Jr. had posted a video of himself wrangling two non-poisonous black snakes on Dr. Oz’s patio.
“Cheryl cheerleads the removal of a pair of Black Racers from Dr Oz’s patio,” he captioned it.
Hines could be heard saying, “Bobby, Bobby, please!” as she tried to dissuade her husband from grabbing the snakes.
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
Kennedy, 72, was a falconer as a younger man, keeping various wild birds, so he appears more at ease with wildlife in general than the average person.
He made a famous visit to the Oval Office in 1961 when he was seven to show his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, his pet salamander.
Young RFK Jr. shows his JFK his pet salamander.pic.twitter.com/4lJzEynUJG
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) December 20, 2025
So RFK Jr. has been handling reptiles for a while. All the same, Mr. Secretary, please be careful!
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