Saturday Night Live launched its first episode of the new year with a biting political satire, directly targeting President Donald Trump and key members of his administration. The show's signature cold open, lasting six and a half minutes, spared few in its comedic critique, though the reception from a segment of the audience was decidedly mixed.
A Cabinet of 'Little Freaks' Takes the Stage
The sketch, framed as a press conference, featured James Austin Johnson reprising his role as President Trump. He opened with a quip about his Christmas gift: "my very own someone else's Nobel prize!" This referenced the real-life event from Friday, 3rd January, when Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her award to the president. Johnson's Trump claimed he would cherish it, only to toss it aside dismissively.
The impersonation then turned to foreign policy, boasting about the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "We did a reverse Santa on him. We came down the chimney with a bag and took him away," he said, alluding to Maduro's reported capture in Caracas on 3rd January. The joke was met with a notably quiet response from the studio audience.
Trump proceeded to introduce his cabinet, whom he affectionately called his "little freaks." Secretary of State Marco Rubio, played by Marcello Hernandez, was mocked for passing a discreet note to the president during a US oil executives meeting on 9th January. Vice President JD Vance, portrayed by new cast member Jeremy Culhane, was ribbed about online rumours concerning his use of eye makeup. Culhane's Vance delivered a clichéd line: "You know, I came here to do two things, kick bubble gum and chew a**, and I'm all out of bubble gum."
Online Backlash and a Controversial Monologue
While the live audience warmed to the performance as it continued, a vocal group of online viewers expressed strong disapproval. Criticism flooded social media platforms, with many labelling the sketch "boring," "not funny," and "getting old." One viewer challenged the show's writers to "Make fun of Kamala and her sad book tour. Oh right. You wouldn’t dare." Another simply stated, "The show is rarely funny. You need new writers and a reset."
The comedy continued with Ashley Padilla as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, mocking her response to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good on 7th January and her penchant for wearing hats. The final cabinet member lampooned was Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, played aggressively by Colin Jost, who bragged about geopolitical victories in crude terms.
The episode faced further controversy later in the night. Guest host Finn Wolfhard, star of Stranger Things, made a vulgar joke during his monologue about learning "what a woman looks like down there" for the first time on camera, with the broadcast cutting to a clip of his younger self staring at the show's Demogorgon monster. The remark sparked disgust among some viewers, who took to social media to express their outrage.
A Divided Response to Political Humour
The reaction to SNL's return highlights the increasingly polarised nature of political satire. The show's decision to dedicate its opening segment entirely to mocking the Trump administration followed a well-established formula, but for a significant number of viewers, the routine has lost its edge. The critique that the material feels repetitive and safe suggests a growing challenge for long-running satire programmes in a hyper-partisan climate.
Ultimately, the episode served as a reminder that while Saturday Night Live remains a platform for pointed political commentary, its success in landing jokes is never guaranteed, with audience reactions now instantly amplified and dissected across the digital landscape.
