Saturday Night Live didn’t hold back on roasting President Donald Trump‘s sweeping new tariff plan that sent global stocks plunging this week.
The NBC sketch comedy show’s latest cold open kicks off with a voice narrating, “On Wednesday, President Trump gave a speech in the Rose Garden announcing his economic vision for America, including tariffs against almost every country we do business with, and like everything else so far in his presidency, it was a total home run. We go now to a presentation of Trump’s historically awesome speech.”
The camera then cuts to James Austin Johnson’s Trump giving a speech on the president’s tariff plan. “My favorite word, tariff, which of course is short for terrific idea,” he says. “They’re the backbone of my incredible plan for our economy.”
“It’s actually even better than a plan because it’s a series of random numbers,” he continues. “Like the numbers on the computer screen in Severance. No idea what the hell they mean, but I know what the numbers mean, OK? They mean we’re gonna Make America Wealthy Again.”
Johnson’s Trump adds, “You know, you’re gonna check your stock portfolio in a couple of days and think, ‘I’m almost too wealthy with doing MAWA.’ But before that, we’re gonna do MAGDA, Make America Great Depression Again. But it’ll be better than great. It’ll be a fantastic, unbelievable depression, the likes of which you’ve never seen before.”
He later notes that “no country is safe from my tariffs. I even put tariffs on an island that is uninhabited by humans. It’s called Heard and McDonald Islands.” The island near Antarctica is a remote territory inhabited by penguins.
“Oh, McDonald Island. I’d love to visit there, right?” Johnson’s Trump says. “Can you imagine that, a Big Mac and a hula skirt.” He then brings out some fake artwork he had made of his dream McDonald’s Island before adding, “There we go. Get me to God’s country, right?” referencing Morgan Wallen’s (last week’s SNL musical guest) viral Instagram post after quickly leaving the show once it wrapped.
Mike Myers also returns to SNL to portray Elon Musk during the cold open. “Elon is great, but sadly, it’s time to never see you again, OK?” Johnson’s Trump says. “You gotta get back to Tesla, right, because they’re doing pretty bad.”
“Yes, recently our dealerships have been the target of many attacks, and suddenly no one likes Tesla cars, so I asked myself why? And then I answered myself, because of me,” Myers’ Musk says.
He continues, “Which is why we’re introducing the new Tesla Model V, the first electric car in history to be fully self-vandalizing, with features like self-smashing headlights, slashing tires and AI-powered graffiti. You can choose from penises or swastikas, or my favorite, swastikas made out of penises.”
Jack Black, star of A Minecraft Movie, also returns to SNL to host for the fourth time, with musical guests Elton John and Brandi Carlile.
During his opening monologue, Black brought the School of Rock to the Studio 8H stage. After noting that it’s “been 20 years since I’ve been on this stage,” which was “an absolute life highlight,” he quips that he has something difficult to share.
“I quit,” Black says. “I know it’s the first time a host has ever quit in the middle of the monologue, but that’s kind of cool. It’s the first time it’s ever happened, but I can’t do it. It’s too stressful, and frankly, I do not have the nerve.”
That’s when a guitar riff starts to play. “How dare you play that riff,” Black says. “That’s not fair. You know what this song does to me. It gives me the power to host again.” The actor-comedian then breaks out in song while jumping around the stage and making his way into the audience, as a live marching band plays in the background.
At the end of the show, SNL also displayed a tribute card for Val Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday at age 65.
