Saturday Night Live wasted no time stirring the pot this weekend, rolling straight into political satire that didn’t just poke — it jabbed.
The show’s latest episode zeroed in on the Trump administration, with First Lady Melania Trump becoming one of the most talked-about targets of the night.
From the opening moments, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a gentle ribbing.
The tone was sharp, the jokes unapologetic, and the audience reaction loud enough to signal that SNL knew exactly what kind of storm it was kicking up.
Weekend Update Takes Aim at Melania’s New Documentary
During Weekend Update, Colin Jost and Michael Che turned their attention to Melania, the newly released documentary that chronicles the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
While the film presents itself as a serious look behind the scenes, SNL had a very different interpretation.
Jost set the tone immediately, joking that the documentary had debuted under a different name entirely — Wicked For Real.
A mock movie poster flashed on screen, tinted green and styled to resemble the Wicked For Good musical branding, drawing instant laughter and making the point clear without spelling it out.
A Controversial Director and an Even More Controversial Joke
Che quickly followed up, noting that the film was directed by Brett Ratner, a name that already comes with its own baggage.
That setup led straight into a spoofed clip referencing Ratner’s Rush Hour franchise.
In the edited scene, Melania was dropped into a famous moment from the 1998 comedy, with Chris Tucker’s character shouting questions at her about whether she understood English.
The implication — that the Slovenian-born First Lady somehow doesn’t — was not subtle, and it landed hard with the studio audience.
The camera cut back to Jost laughing along, fully aware the joke would divide viewers at home.
Online Reactions Split Cleanly Down Political Lines
As soon as the segment aired, social media lit up.
Supporters of the skit praised it as classic Weekend Update humor, with some calling the English-language gag “spot on” and others saying the segment proved the show still had its edge.
On the flip side, Trump supporters were furious. Critics accused SNL of leaning too heavily into left-wing politics, with several saying the show has forgotten how to be funny without dragging Trump into everything.
One commenter complained that Trump lives “rent free” in the minds of the writers, while another dismissed the entire segment as transparent and out of touch.
Interestingly, even some viewers on the left weren’t satisfied — though for the opposite reason.
A handful argued that Weekend Update had gone soft, claiming the writers had far more material to work with and barely scratched the surface.
Trump and Kristi Noem Also End Up in the Crosshairs
Melania wasn’t the only one catching heat.
Che also fired off jokes aimed directly at President Trump, referencing the FBI’s recent search of a Georgia election office tied to lingering claims about the 2020 election.
After explaining the context, Che delivered the line that made the room gasp and laugh at the same time, quipping that even Hitler eventually gave up on trying to get into art school.
It was one of the night’s most jaw-dropping moments.
Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, also became part of the punchline.
Che referenced her past admission to shooting her dog, tying it into a serious story involving a fatal shooting by border agents.
The joke landed with an image of a puppy on screen — a visual that drew laughter and discomfort in equal measure.
The Opening Sketch Shifts Focus to ICE and Minneapolis
The political tone continued into the episode’s opening sketch, which tackled Immigration and Customs Enforcement head-on.
Pete Davidson portrayed White House Border Czar Tom Homan in a Minneapolis-set scenario inspired by real-world protests and investigations following recent ICE operations.
In the sketch, Davidson’s Homan arrives expecting to restore order, only to find a group of agents who are aggressive, clueless, and wildly misinformed about their own jobs.
The satire escalated quickly, with jokes about racial profiling, excessive force, and a complete lack of training.
Epstein Files, Don Lemon, and a Blunt Ending
The sketch didn’t shy away from current headlines.
One punchline referenced the Justice Department’s release of millions of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, framing it as a convenient distraction.
Another joke dragged in Don Lemon, alluding to his recent arrest while reporting on immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
As the sketch wound down, James Austin Johnson’s character bluntly suggested that the chaos might be exactly what leadership wanted.
Davidson tried for a motivational wrap-up, asking whether the agents could do their jobs without violating anyone’s rights.
Kenan Thompson’s deadpan response — “No” — brought the sketch to an uncomfortable but deliberate close.
Viewers Once Again Argue Over What SNL Is Supposed to Be
Reaction to the opening sketch was just as divided as Weekend Update.
Some viewers complained that the show had forgotten it was supposed to be comedy, while others took direct aim at Davidson’s portrayal, calling it one of the weakest impressions of Tom Homan yet.
Still, for better or worse, SNL achieved what it often does best — dominating the conversation.
Whether viewers laughed, cringed, or turned off their TVs entirely, the episode made one thing clear: the show has no intention of dialing back its political edge anytime soon.
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