SNL tries to 'Musk' its way into Trump’s good graces, begging not to be his ‘political enemies’

SNL closed its pre-election episode with Kamala Harris and Maya Rudolph, but after Trump's victory, the cast humorously declared support for him.

SNL's recent cold open started off sounding like a heartfelt apology letter to President-elect Donald Trump, begging not to be listed among his “political enemies.” Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, and Colin Jost took a surprisingly supportive turn, claiming they’ve always had Trump’s back—despite their past mockery. The sketch included a comically buff “Hot Jacked Trump” and a new Elon Musk impression.

Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, James Austin Johnson, Heidi Gardner and Marcello Hernandez(NBC)

SNL shifts stance on Trump

In what began as a solemn skit, the SNL cast tried to take a jab at the shock and horror many felt over the election results. Thompson described Trump as a figure who "called for vengeance against his political enemies," while Bowen Yang assured, “We have never wavered in our support of you.” Ego Nwodim expressed concern that there was now “nothing to protect those brave enough to speak out against him.”

Saturday Night Live wrapped up its final episode before the election with a special appearance by Vice President Kamala Harris, who performed alongside her SNL lookalike, Maya Rudolph, in a skit that clearly favored the Harris camp. However, after the election results declared Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, the show took a dramatic u-turn.

Heidi Gardner who joked about voting the republican ‘fifty times’ in the swing battleground state of Pennsylvania, remarked, “Donald Trump, who forcibly tried to overturn the results of the last election, was returned to office.” Bowen Yang added, “And now, thanks to the Supreme Court, there are no guardrails.” “That is why we at SNL would like to say to Donald Trump, we have been with you all along,” Keenan Thompson declared.

Yang quickly followed up, “We have never wavered in our support for you, even when others doubted you.” Sarah Sherman added, “Every single person on this stage believed in you.”

During the "Weekend Update" segment, Colin Jost addressed Trump humorously, acknowledging his controversial statements but defending them as truth. He also took a playful jab at co-anchor Michael Che, mocking the media for attempting to twist Trump’s words to make him appear foolish.

For years, Trump has made repeated calls on social media and in speeches for harsh actions against his critics, political foes, and members of the media, suggesting they should be prosecuted, imprisoned, deported, or even executed. Harris has raised concerns that if he returns to the White House, such threats could become reality, putting them at risk. “So if you’re making a list of your enemies,” Thompson began, with Marcello Hernandez finishing, “we definitely shouldn’t be on it.”

SNL debuts hot-jacked Trump and new Elon Musk

In the latest skit, James Austin Johnson took the stage as a newly revamped version of Donald Trump, this time with a more physically imposing appearance, possibly meant to depict a strong Trump who survived multiple legal battles and a failed assassination attempt, making his way back to the White House in a historic move.

With his muscles on full display and a red headband, Johnson joked, "They finally got the body right," before playfully declaring, "From now on, we're giving Trump a more flattering portrayal—because, let's be honest, he's my hero."

The cold open also featured a surprise appearance by "SNL" veteran Dana Carvey, who, instead of his usual role as Joe Biden, took on the persona of Elon Musk, the Tesla owner who has become one of Trump’s top advisors and may land a major White House role in Trump’s cabinet after spending millions on the campaign.

“Seriously, I run the country now,” said Carvey stepping inside the shoes of Elon Musk. “And now it’s going to be like one of my rockets. You know, they’re super cool and super fun. But there’s a slight chance it could blow up and everybody dies.”