NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” Cold Open poked fun at the contentious meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump and Zelensky last week met at the White House to hold peace discussions on Ukraine and to finalize a mineral rights deal before the meeting took a turn for the worse in what became one of the most remarkable Oval Office meltdowns in U.S. history.
In the first episode since its 50th anniversary, the late-night show opened with Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, and Zelensky, played by Mikey Day.
“I’d like to welcome President Zelensky to this incredible trap,” Johnson’s Trump began. “I’d like to thank President Zelensky for dressing like casual Star Trek. We love Star Trek because there’s no DEI. The white guy was the leader, and he bossed around Spock, who was, I believe, Guatemalan.”
Next to Trump was Vice President JD Vance, played by Bowen Yang, who weighed after Trump’s remarks.
“I have to jump in here because that’s how we planned this,” Vance said. “You didn’t say thank you. You didn’t say anything about us being handsome.”
After Zelensky tried to reply, Vance interjected: “You have been talking this entire time. I’m sorry, does the sign outside say Ukraine House? No, it says America House.”
Trump then said Zelensky “doesn’t have the cards” to negotiate ending the war, referring to the card game “Uno.”
“You say you wanna end this war, but frankly you don’t have the cards,” Johnson’s Trump said. “I have the cards. I have Skip. I have Draw Four. I have Get Out of Jail Free; the Supreme Court gave me that one.”
Suddenly Elon Musk, played by Mike Myers, burst into the room with a chainsaw, referencing Musk’s appearance at CPAC where Argentian President Javier Milei gifted the Tesla founder a chainsaw for his DOGE efforts.
“Uh Donald, what are you doing in my office?” he said. You know I’m the president now. I’m kidding! I’m kidding. Maybe not!”
“We are firing the nonessential employees,” he continued. “Like air traffic controllers.”
Trump responded, “Sure, some of the planes are going to land upside down. But then the luggage falls right into your lap and you’re ready to go. It’s efficient.”
In sum, the liberal show’s take on the Trump-Zelensky meeting and Elon Musk was par for the course.