SNL Parodies Trump in Easter-Themed Cold Open

NEW YORK, NY – “Saturday Night Live” opened its latest episode on April 12, 2025, with a humorous biblical twist, featuring a cold open that compared modern politics to scripture.

In this Easter-themed skit, Mikey Day portrayed Jesus, enacting a parody of Matthew 21:13, where Jesus drove out the money changers from the temple. The scene transitioned as James Austin Johnson appeared as President Donald Trump, drawing a tongue-in-cheek connection between Jesus’ actions and today’s political climate.

“It’s me, your favorite president, Donald Jesus Trump. Comparing myself to the son of God once again,” Johnson quipped in character. “You know, many people are even calling me the Messiah because of the mess-I-ah made out of the economy. All because of my beautiful tariffs. They’re so beautiful. They were working so well I had to stop them.”

Johnson’s portrayal continued with satirical commentary on the economy. “The stock market did a Jesus,” he joked. “It died, then on the third day it was risen. Then on the fourth day it died again,” referring to the volatility in the stock market that has left many investors in distress.

As the skit progressed, Johnson cleverly acknowledged the economic struggles many Americans face. “We must never mix religion with commerce,” he said. “You can read all about it in my Trump Bible. Now made in America, so it costs $1,300 and it falls apart even faster.”

Jon Hamm hosted this week’s episode, with Lizzo serving as the musical guest. In a later sketch, Johnson returned as Trump in a narrative inspired by HBO’s “Succession.” In the segment titled “The White Potus,” Trump humorously attempted to hide news of a global economic collapse from his family, echoing plotlines from the series involving a father navigating crisis while on vacation.

Lizzo brought a memorable performance to the show, donning a black shirt with the word ‘Tariffied’ emblazoned across the front in red. This marked another moment of satirical commentary on the administration’s policies.

The 50th season of “Saturday Night Live” is set to conclude on May 17, promising more comedic takes on current events in the weeks to come.