Saturday Night Live got straight into the big news of the week: the fiery showdown between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The NBC sketch comedy show opened this week’s episode by spoofing the headline-making meeting that saw the leaders, in addition to Vice President J.D. Vance, get into a tense back and forth during a meeting in the Oval Office. Before Zelensky was asked to leave the White House, Trump and Vance started berating the Ukrainian leader in the last 10 minutes of the meeting.
“Hello everyone, it is I, president and CEO of Gaza Hotel and Casino,” James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump says at the beginning of the cold open. “I’d like to welcome President Zelensky here to this incredible trap. It’s gonna be a big beautiful trap and we’re gonna attack him very soon for no reason.”
“President Zelensky, you want to say a few words, maybe tell Mr. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin how much you love him and that you’re sorry you invaded Russia. Maybe you offer him one night with your wife,” Johnson’s Trump adds. But as Mikey Day’s Zelensky attempts to respond, Bowen Yang’s Vance cuts him off.
“Excuse me,” Yang’s Vance says. “What? I should jump in here because that’s how we planned this. What happened to thank you? Remember thank you? You haven’t said thank you to us once in the past 15 seconds I’ve been yelling at you.”
“I’ve said thank you,” Day’s Zelensky declares.
“But you didn’t say it now when you walked in here, you didn’t say thank you,” Yang’s Vance continues with his verbal attack. “You didn’t say anything about us being handsome. Who are my handsome little boys? You didn’t ask us that once.”
Despite Day’s Zelensky not being able to get many words in, Yang’s Vance adds, “You have been talking this entire time. Sorry, does the sign outside say Ukraine House? No, it says America House.”
Johnson’s Trump later goes after Zelensky’s attire. “You’re not even wearing a suit. It’s disrespectful. Who shows up to the White House in a t-shirt and jeans like a garbage person,” he says as Mike Myers‘ Elon Musk enters, ironically wearing a t-shirt and jeans as well.
“Donald, what are you doing in my office? You know I’m the president now, right? Myers’ Musk quips. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding, maybe not.”
He then proceeds to address the criticism of the Trump administration’s unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk is overseeing. “They’re saying I’m firing people with no cause, but I do have cause. It’s cause I feel like it,” Myers’ Musk says as he bursts out in awkward laughter.
“We love mass firings because you don’t have to know what any of their names are or what exactly they do,” Johnson’s Trump adds, referencing DOGE’s controversial slashing of agencies from the U.S. federal government as part of Trump’s efforts to radically cut spending and reduce jobs and select programs.
“We’re not gonna get it perfect, you know, but we are firing the non-essential employees like air traffic controllers,” Myers’ Musk admits before Johnson’s Trump says, “Sure, some of the planes are gonna land upside down, but then the luggage falls right into your lap and you’re ready to go.”
Marcello Hernández also portrays Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, during the segment.
Shane Gillis hosts the latest episode of Saturday Night Live, with musical guest Tate McRae. During his opening monologue, the comedian struggled to find his footing as he delivered jokes about Trump, Joe Biden, date rape drugs and historical documentaries, among other topics.
Shortly after being hired, Gillis was fired from SNL in 2019 for using racial and homophobic slurs on a podcast. He later returned to host for the first time last year.
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