SNL Sketch Parodies Trump’s Press Conference

In last night’s episode of Saturday Night Live, there was a cold open sketch that humorously imitated recent comments made by Donald Trump during a press conference aboard Air Force One.

The sketch kicked off with a narration reminiscent of a Christmas story. “On a cold December night, high above the Earth flies a jolly giant man of considerable girth. In a magical sleigh, he heads towards every home under the sun…Air Force One.”

Ashley Padilla, a rising star on SNL, portrayed White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt, while James Austin Johnson made a surprise entrance as Donald Trump. “Yes, hello, I’m your favorite president. I’m hiding behind the curtain, oh! Peek behind the curtain. That’s what I enjoyed at Miss Teen USA 1997,” he exclaimed.

Johnson’s portrayal of Trump set the tone for a chaotic press conference filled with disjointed comments, including a boast about taking both Ambien and Adderall that night, and playful jabs at a young subordinate. He also engaged with the airplane curtains, delivering answers that veered wildly from topic to topic.

For instance, when asked about the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, Johnson’s Trump replied, “Yeah! We’re pirating now. Oh! Last week we said Somalis were trash, and now we’re stealing ships. That’s ironic, Alanis! She’s in great territory.” It felt oddly reminiscent of his past remarks.

After quoting Captain Phillips and expressing his fondness for Captain Crunch, Johnson’s Trump claimed that the U.S. was targeting planes linked to narcotics, culminating in a shocking reveal of “declassified video” showing Santa Claus and his reindeer being blown up.

Johnson’s Trump downplayed the incident involving Santa, dismissing a Warner Bros. studio tour, before shifting to the recent release of photos of Jeffrey Epstein by House Democrats. “Look, these photos are actually of fake news Democratic hosts, right?” he asserted.

When new cast member Tommy Brennan inquired about a photo that allegedly featured a bowl of condoms with Trump’s face and the phrase “I’m huge,” Johnson’s character suddenly shifted gears, claiming, “They are 100% authentic. I love those files. I’m in the files, I took a lot of great photos!”

To check out the full cold open, you can find it online.