Saturday Night Live wasted no time jumping into the week's biggest news: that totally wild White House meeting between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. And let me tell you SNL's take was just as wild maybe even wilder thanks to a surprise appearance that no one saw coming. We are talking about impersonations zingers and a whole lot of political humor so buckle up!
Oval Office Antics: SNL Recreates the Trump-Zelensky Meeting with Hilarious Impersonations
The cold open started with a voiceover setting the scene saying the Trump-Zelensky meeting went "really really well" and made everyone feel like "the world is now a safer place". Of course that was SNL sarcasm at its finest. Then the skit launched into a recreation of the meeting and it was comedy gold.
James Austin Johnson was back as Donald Trump and as always his Trump is spot-on. He welcomed Mikey Day as Zelensky to what he called an "incredible trap" the "Gaza Hotel and Casino". Trump joked about attacking Zelensky "very soon for no reason". Bowen Yang played Vice President JD Vance chiming in with some over-the-top bravado. Marcello Hernández as Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood silently by seemingly trying to disappear into the background - relatable.
SNL's Trump thanked Zelensky for his "casual Star Trek" outfit and made a dig at DEI saying he loved Star Trek because "there's no DEI". The whole scene was set up to show just how bizarre and confrontational that real White House meeting apparently was and SNL amplified it for maximum comedic effect.
Surprise Guest Alert: Mike Myers Transforms into Elon Musk and Steals the Show
Just when you thought the skit could not get any weirder BAM! Mike Myers shows up . Yes Austin Powers himself Mike Myers made a surprise cameo as Elon Musk and it was perfect. Myers' Musk was dressed in jeans a black coat and a "Tech Support" t-shirt carrying a chainsaw. A chainsaw! If you are wondering about the chainsaw that is a reference to Musk wielding one at CPAC to symbolize cutting government.
Myers as Musk stumbles onto the scene asking "Donald what are you doing in my office? You know I'm president now right?" He quickly follows it up with "I'm kidding I'm kidding. Maybe not." Then Myers' Musk jumps around shouting "Legalize comedy!" which is another callback to Musk's CPAC speech. The whole portrayal was brilliantly awkward capturing Musk's unique public persona.
The skit then has Trump and Musk riffing on government layoffs with Musk as the head of Trump's fictional "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE). Musk jokes about firing people "cause I feel like it" and mentions firing "non-essential employees like air traffic controllers". The cameo appearance by Myers took the skit to another level adding an extra layer of absurdity to an already over-the-top political situation.
Shane Gillis Hosts Episode: Controversial Comedian Returns to SNL
This episode was hosted by Shane Gillis . Gillis' hosting gig was notable because he was actually hired by SNL years ago but then fired before even starting due to past controversial jokes resurfacing. His return as host was definitely talked about. Reviews of the episode mention that Gillis' monologue and sketches did not exactly set the world on fire but Myers' cameo in the cold open was a definite highlight.
Weekend Update Tackles Trump and Musk (Again): Che Jokes "Nazis Made Nice Cars"
Weekend Update with Colin Jost and Michael Che also took on Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Michael Che delivered a particularly sharp joke about Musk's salute which many people interpreted as being similar to a Nazi salute. Che quipped "Elon Musk was criticized for his speech at a rally after the inauguration in which he appears to give the Nazi salute. But come on Elon Musk is not a Nazi; the Nazis made nice cars." It was a classic Weekend Update one-liner using dark humor to make a political point referencing Volkswagen's history connected to Nazi Germany.
SNL's Trump-Zelensky-Musk Skit: Key Highlights and Best Lines
- Trump Welcomes Zelensky to a "Trap": Johnson's Trump greets Zelensky to the "Gaza Hotel and Casino" calling the White House meeting a "big beautiful trap".
- Vance's Google Maps "Visit" to Ukraine: Yang's Vance retorts to Zelensky's suggestion to visit Ukraine "Hey! Don't you even dare. I have been to Ukraine... on Google Maps." highlighting Vance's perceived lack of experience.
- Trump Criticizes Zelensky's Outfit: Johnson's Trump scolds Day's Zelensky for "disrespectful" attire: "Who shows up to the White House in a t-shirt and jeans like a garbage person."
- Mike Myers' Elon Musk Entrance with Chainsaw: Myers' Musk enters wielding a chainsaw asking "Donald what are you doing in my office? You know I'm president now right?" a truly unexpected and visually comedic moment.
- Musk's "Legalize Comedy" Shout: Myers' Musk jumps and shouts "Legalize comedy!" referencing Musk's real-life public statements about comedy.
- Che's "Nazis Made Nice Cars" Joke: Che defends Musk against Nazi comparisons with the darkly humorous line about Nazi-era car manufacturing on Weekend Update.
Final Verdict: SNL's Trump-Zelensky Skit Delivers the Laughs (and the Weirdness)
Overall SNL's cold open tackling the Trump-Zelensky meeting with that surprise Elon Musk cameo definitely delivered. James Austin Johnson continues to kill it as Trump Mike Myers was inspired casting as Musk and the whole sketch captured the bizarre and often unsettling nature of current political events with humor and satire. If you missed it you should definitely check out the clip online. It's a prime example of SNL using comedy to process and poke fun at the ever-unfolding political circus.