SNL’s Trump brings out ‘Cabinet of curiosities’ after Venezuela attack and ICE raids
SNL skewers Trump and his cabinet in first cold open of the year
- Saturday Night Live's first sketch of 2026 featured James Austin Johnson portraying Donald Trump, alongside his "Cabinet of curiosities".
- The cold open satirised current events, including the capture of Nicolas Maduro, threats towards Iran, and the deployment of federal officers in Minnesota.
- Johnson's Trump character claimed to have received a Nobel Prize and Maduro in his Christmas stocking, joking about a "reverse Santa" operation.
- The sketch introduced new and returning cast members portraying figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
- Kristi Noem's character, played by Ashley Padilla, comically addressed the volatile situation in Minneapolis and encouraged specific types of individuals to join ICE.