Another day in Florida: RFK Jr posts video of him wrestling two snakes

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · May 26, 2026 · 565 words · By Richard Luscombe

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What to know about Character Assessment

Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, on Tuesday added to his lengthening catalog of bizarre wild animal encounters by posting to social media a video of himself in Florida wrestling with two snakes.

Claims checked 16

Techniques found 3

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left33%

Center34%

Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

Kennedy, who has previously admitted dumping the carcass of a bear cub in New York’s Central Park, and is also alleged to have cut the penis off a road-kill raccoon, is seen grabbing the pair of serpents with his bare hands.

Common ground

His wife, Cheryl Hines, is heard urging her husband to be careful as Kennedy shows them off to the camera, then recoils as one rears up and appears to bite his hand.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Smears: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Character Assessment story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that a 2014 episode in which he admitted to finding a dead bear cub on a road trip and putting it in his van with a plan to skin it and eat it later?
How does this story connect Character Assessment with Public Behavior over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/26/rfk-jr-snake-wrestle-viral-video…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 95% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 80% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Smears 85% confidence

Using damaging allegations to undermine a person's reputation.

Why it matters: Recognizing smears helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 16 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

schedule Pending 6

verified Verified By Reference 2

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “a 2014 episode in which he admitted to finding a dead bear cub on a road trip and putting it in his van with a plan to skin it and eat it later”

CORROBORATED

CBS News and Snopes report that RFK Jr. admitted to finding a dead bear cub and keeping it in his van with the intent to skin and eat it.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaccine activist serving …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_Jr.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy III (born September 2, 1984) is an American film director, theatre director and screenwriter. He is the eldest son of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a grandson of Robert F. K…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_III

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his campaign for the 2024 United States presidential election on April 19, 2023. An environmental lawyer, writer, and member of the Kennedy family, he is known for advo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_Jr._2024_pre…

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 2: “a 2024 recounting of an undated incident in which Kennedy allegedly severed the head of a washed-up whale with a chainsaw, then drove home with it strapped to his car’s roof”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “Kennedy, who has previously admitted dumping the carcass of a bear cub in New York’s Central Park”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including CBS News and Snopes, report that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admitted to dumping a dead bear cub in Central Park.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “posting to social media a video of himself in Florida wrestling with two snakes”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources (WBAL-TV, BBC, and another news report) confirm that RFK Jr. posted a video of himself removing two black racer snakes from a patio in Florida.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — It was one of the most popular male names in medieval Europe, likely due to its frequent usage amongst royalty and nobility. To this day, Robert remains one of the most frequently given male names. Ro…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jun 12, 2025 · Robert is most often seen as a boy name. Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Robert.
https://www.parents.com/robert-name-meaning-origin-popularit…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Roberts Space Industries is the official go-to website for all news about Star Citizen and Squadron 42. It also hosts the online store for game items and merch, as well as all the community tools used…
https://robertsspaceindustries.com/en

schedule

Claim 5: “one that part of Kennedy’s brain was eaten by a worm”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 6: “is also alleged to have cut the penis off a road-kill raccoon”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this specific claim consists only of generic search results for the name 'Robert' and does not contain any information regarding a raccoon.

travel_explore

verified

Claim 7: “Non-venomous southern black racers are the most common species of snake in Florida”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia explicitly states that the southern black racer is one of the more common subspecies of the Coluber constrictor snake species in the region.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Mar 19, 2020 ... Southern Black Racer snakes (Coluber constrictor priapus) are found throughout the Tampa Bay area and Florida. Species overview by a ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_yL-IHKMPA

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The southern black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) is one of the more common subspecies of the nonvenomous Coluber constrictor snake species of the ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_black_racer

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Mar 18, 2026 ... Most adult North American Racers are about 20-56 inches (50-142 cm) in total length. This is a long and slender snake with large and prominent eyes.
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-snake-id/snake/nor…

verified

Claim 8: “They [southern black racers] are harmless to humans”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and other herpetology sources confirm that southern black racers are nonvenomous and harmless to humans.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jun 3, 2025 ... Racers are not considered medically significant to humans - they are not venomous, but all animals with a mouth can use it in self-defense.
https://www.reddit.com/r/herpetology/comments/1l2lnjg/florid…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Apr 9, 2026 ... Racers are nonvenomous and are harmless to humans and pets if left alone. Their wide diet includes rodents, insects, amphibians, lizards ...
https://www.facebook.com/61554370072168/posts/the-beauty-of-…

schedule

Claim 9: “another that he enjoyed eating barbecued dog”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 10: “he dumped the animal in Manhattan’s Central Park when he ran out of time before a flight, and placed a bicycle on top of it in the hope of framing a cyclist”

CORROBORATED

Snopes and other reports confirm that Kennedy dumped the carcass in Central Park and placed a bicycle on top of it to frame a cyclist.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Aug 14, 2024 ... Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could turn around his failing presidential campaign with a run of good press, but that won t be happening because ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-SIHhcmy-w

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Aug 5, 2024 ... A decade after the shocking discovery of a bear cub carcass in Manhattan's Central Park, the mystery of who dumped it there has finally been solved.
https://www.npr.org/2024/08/05/nx-s1-5063939/rfk-jr-central-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Aug 5, 2024 ... Robert F Kennedy Jr has recounted how he dumped a dead bear cub in New York's Central Park in 2014.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2j3353vvdvo

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Claim 11: “Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources (The Guardian, NBC Washington, KRDO) explicitly refer to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Health Secretary.

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — officials pledged to be transparent in updating the public but said the media could not cite the speakers by name under guidelines issued by aides to the health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/09/cdc-hantavirus…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Trump unveiled the award at his desk while flanked by Cabinet members including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Housing Se…
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/pr…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to loosen regulations on peptides.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/fd…

+ 2 more evidence sources

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Claim 12: “Mehmet Oz... now serving as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Axios, NY Post, KRDO) identify Dr. Mehmet Oz as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mehmet Cengiz Oz (Turkish: Öz; mə-MET JENG-ghiz oz; Turkish: [mehˈmet dʒeɲˈɟiz øz]; born June 11, 1960), also known as Dr. Oz ( ), is an American television presenter, physician, author, educator, a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Oz

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that administers the Medicare program and works in partner…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centers_for_Medicare_&_Medicai…

+ 5 more evidence sources

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Claim 13: “the removal of a pair of Black Racers from Dr Oz’s patio”

CORROBORATED

WBAL-TV, BBC, and other reports confirm the snakes were Black Racers and were removed from Dr. Mehmet Oz's patio/beach house in Florida.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Fatma is a 2021 Turkish crime drama television series directed by Özer Feyzioğlu and Özgür Önürme and starring Burcu Biricik, Uğur Yücel, Mehmet Yılmaz Ak, and Hazal Türesan. The show was released on …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatma_(TV_series)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable Turkish people, or the Turks, (Turkish: Türkler), who are an ethnic group primarily living in the Republic of Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turki…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Turkish_people

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Paul Hamilton Williams Jr. (born September 19, 1940) is an American songwriter and actor. He is known for writing and co-writing popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s, including Thr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Williams_(songwriter)

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 14: ““I was standing in front of my parked car on I-684 cutting the penis out of a road-killed raccoon...”, he wrote in his journal at the time, according to the book’s author, Isabel Vincent”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 15: “it emerged from the newly published biography RFK Jr: The Fall and Rise that he had mutilated the carcass of a raccoon he found dead on a New York highway in 2001”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 16: “The book also alludes to Kennedy’s alleged fascination with seagulls and desire to add to his collection of skulls of deceased birds”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.