SNL's Sharp Satire on Trump, Venezuela, and ICE

SNL's latest cold open took aim at President Donald Trump's unusual connection to the Nobel Peace Prize. The show also highlighted the U. S. military's actions in Venezuela and the controversial ICE shooting in Minneapolis. The skit featured a mock news conference and cabinet meeting, filled with exaggerated portrayals of Trump and his administration. James Austin Johnson played Trump, who joked about receiving a Nobel Peace Prize indirectly through Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. He also bragged about capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing drug trafficking charges in New York. Johnson's Trump referred to his cabinet as "a cabinet of curiosities, " comparing them to monsters from a twisted mind.Colin Jost played Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who boasted about the military operation in Venezuela. Jost's character made crude jokes about the mission and hinted at future actions against Iran. Jeremy Culhane played Vice President JD Vance, who complained about his trip to Greenland, referencing Trump's real-life threats to take over the Danish territory. Ashley Padilla played Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, defending the ICE shooting in Minneapolis. Padilla's Noem made light of the situation and recruited new ICE agents with a humorous pitch. The skit ended with Johnson's Trump canceling the midterms, transitioning into the show's credits. In the final moments of the show, SNL paid tribute to Bob Weir, the late founding member of the Grateful Dead. The legendary band made two appearances on SNL in the late 1970s.