After a week filled with economic uncertainty and political controversy, Saturday Night Live opened its latest episode with a sharp and satirical take on former President Donald Trump’s trade policies—this time, drawing comparisons straight from the Bible.
The cold open began with a parody of a well-known biblical passage from Matthew 21:13, in which Jesus overturns the tables of merchants in the temple. Mikey Day took the stage as Jesus, setting a dramatic scene before James Austin Johnson entered, reprising his popular impression of Trump. The skit cleverly reimagined Trump as “Donald Jesus Trump,” mixing religious imagery with the chaos of the current global trade situation.
“It’s me, your favorite president, Donald Jesus Trump,” Johnson’s Trump declared. “Yes, I’m comparing myself to the son of God once again. People are even calling me the Messiah—because of the mess-I-ah made out of the economy!”
The sketch poked fun at Trump’s recent tariff decisions, suggesting they were so “beautiful” and effective that he had to stop them altogether. Johnson delivered the line with a grin, “The stock market did a Jesus—it died, came back on the third day, and died again on the fourth.”
Mocking the financial turmoil, Johnson’s Trump referenced the trillions lost in the markets and joked about Americans seeing their retirement savings vanish. Then, in classic Trump fashion, he pivoted to a product plug: “We must never mix religion with commerce. You can read all about it in my Trump Bible. Now made in America, only $1,300—and it falls apart even faster!”
The humor didn’t stop there. Jon Hamm, best known for Your Friends & Neighbors and Mad Men, hosted the episode, while singer and rapper Lizzo brought musical energy to the night. During her performance of “Still Bad,” Lizzo made her own statement by wearing a black T-shirt with the word “Tariffied” boldly printed in red across the chest—a clever play on “terrified” and “tariff.”
Later in the show, Johnson returned as Trump in another sketch, this time parodying the hit HBO series The White Lotus. The skit, titled The White POTUS, placed Trump in a tropical luxury setting, mirroring a plotline from the series’ third season. Just as a character on the show discovered he was under federal investigation while vacationing with his family, Trump in the sketch attempted to hide a global economic collapse from his fictional family while maintaining his composure. The bit highlighted the absurdity of managing political disasters with a resort backdrop, all while mimicking the tone of a prestige drama.
SNL’s comedic critique of Trump’s tariff policies resonated with viewers who have watched the ongoing economic fallout unfold in recent weeks. The exaggerated but pointed portrayal underscored the tension between political decisions and their real-world financial consequences, all while leaning into satire to deliver its message.
The show’s 50th season is winding down, with the final episode set to air on May 17. Throughout the season, SNL has continued to walk the fine line between comedy and commentary, often reflecting public sentiment through its sketches. This latest episode was no exception, offering both laughter and a lens into the frustrations and confusion sparked by recent economic policies.
Whether you agree with the politics or not, Saturday Night Live proved once again it remains a powerful cultural barometer—using humor to cut through the chaos, one sketch at a time.
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