In a biting holiday-themed cold open, the long-running sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live took direct aim at the White House's controversial handling of documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The segment featured a parody of former President Donald Trump, delivering a scathing and satirical critique of the administration's actions.
A Festive Roast of Document Redactions
The sketch, which aired during the show's weekend broadcast, presented a jolly version of Trump, portrayed by the show's resident presidential impersonator James Austin Johnson. The character boasted about having his name placed on Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center building, leading to a pointed joke about the Epstein files. "Why are you putting your name on so many buildings? We had to take it off so many files," the Trump parody asked rhetorically. "We had so many Trumps in there, we had to put 'em somewhere."
Addressing the document release head-on, Johnson's Trump claimed, "We released all the files, and I come out looking, frankly, very good." He then showcased a heavily censored excerpt, which was almost entirely blacked out except for the telling phrase: "Trump... didn't... do... nothing... bad." The character concluded the bit by asking the audience, "See it's all there, can you believe it?"
Mocking the 'Patriot Games' Announcement
The SNL sketch didn't stop at the Epstein files. It also savagely mocked another recent announcement from the actual White House: the planned "Patriot Games" for high school athletes, set to coincide with the United States' 250th birthday celebrations next summer.
"I almost forgot I've been inventing my own 'Hunger Games,'" the impersonator smirked. He continued the bit by cynically framing the event as a distraction tactic. "That's right, the White House will be hosting the Patriot Games for high school athletes to compete. Because I thought, What's the best way to distract from the Epstein files? I know invite a bunch of teenagers to my house?"
The joke reached its peak with a brutal punchline delivered in the style of the game show Jeopardy!: "I'll take 'Things a pedophile might do' for a $1000, Alex."
A Tradition of Political Satire Continues
This latest cold open continues Saturday Night Live's long-standing tradition of using humor to critique political figures and current events. The show's willingness to directly address the sensitive topic of the Epstein document release and its handling demonstrates its role as a platform for pointed political satire. By linking the document redactions to the announcement of the Patriot Games, the sketch offered a cohesive and ruthless commentary on public relations strategies and transparency.
The festive setting of the sketch, framed as a holiday address, provided a stark and ironic contrast to the serious subject matter being lampooned, amplifying the comedic critique of the White House's recent communications.
