SNL Jokes About Trump’s Shocking Ambition After Viral Pope Photo
Donald Trump’s recent social media activity prompted a surprising reaction from Saturday Night Live, suggesting a bold new career path for the President.
The move had people talking online, and the late-night comedy show didn’t miss a beat.
SNL Takes On Trump’s Return
NBC’s long-running sketch show “Saturday Night Live” frequently turns its attention to political figures, and President Donald Trump has often been a central character in their cold opens.
This past weekend was no different, as the show opened with a sketch set in a mock Oval Office, featuring cast member James Austin Johnson reprising his role as Trump.
The sketch aimed to capture the busy atmosphere surrounding the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.
Marking 100 Days
The timing of the sketch coincided with the real-world milestone of President Trump completing the first 100 days since returning to office.
This period has been marked by significant activity, including numerous executive orders addressing various policy points.
SNL’s version of Trump highlighted this pace, with the character signing papers rapidly.
“It has been a hundred years since I became president. Excuse me, days, wow. Feels longer,” Johnson’s Trump character quipped.
The sketch referenced the signing of numerous orders, touching on themes the show’s writers associated with the administration.
“I’ve also signed 147 executive orders, everything from banning paper straws to defunding PBS,” the character declared.
Viral Moment Inspires Comedy
Recently, President Trump shared an AI-generated image on his Truth Social platform depicting himself dressed as the Pope.
This post quickly went viral, generating considerable discussion online and across media platforms.
The timing was notable, coming shortly after Trump attended the funeral for Pope Francis in Rome.
When asked by reporters about who might lead the Catholic Church next, President Trump had previously made headlines with a characteristically confident remark, suggesting he’d be his own top choice.
Sketch Includes Other Characters
The SNL cold open also featured other cast members portraying figures associated with the administration.
This included a portrayal of Stephen Miller and Marcello Hernández playing a version of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The sketch also touched upon economic discussions, with the Trump character humorously suggesting renaming “recession” to “recess.”
“Recession will now be called recess. Fun, right?” Johnson’s character stated. “So, America, get ready for a historically long recess. I call tetherball.”
The real President Trump has pushed back against recession fears, describing the current economic situation as a “transition period” and expressing optimism about the country’s future performance.
The Papal Punchline Revealed
Connecting directly to the viral Truth Social post and Trump’s earlier comments, the SNL sketch incorporated the idea of papal ambitions into its portrayal.
Playing on both the political power of the presidency and the spiritual authority of the papacy, Johnson’s Trump character made a surprising declaration.
The sketch had the character introduce himself with a line that blended his current role with the potential future one hinted at online.
“It’s me, your favorite president, perhaps your next pope,” Johnson’s Trump announced in the sketch, directly referencing the buzzworthy image and comments.
This joke served as a focal point, merging the show’s political satire with recent headline-grabbing moments generated by the President himself.
The viral photo and Trump’s own remarks clearly provided fertile ground for the comedy writers, demonstrating his continued ability to capture public and media attention.