“Saturday Night Live” took aim at President Donald Trump’s “national emergency” declaration Saturday night, and the President himself noticed.
In the show’s cold open, actor Alec Baldwin made a return appearance as the President, giving a press conference on the White House lawn, declaring a “national emergency” over the border wall.
“I’m here to declare a very urgent, important national emergency,” Baldwin said, in character as Trump. “This is a big one, so I don’t want to waste any time, but first I’d like to blow my own horn.”
Baldwin then launched into a tirade about the President’s recent wellness checkup, embellishing the President’s health stats, and calling himself “shredded.” The actor closed with another impression of Trump.
“We need wall because wall works,” he said. “Wall make safe. You don’t have to be smart to understand that. In fact, it’s even easier if you’re not.”
“I’m going to sign these papers for the emergency then I’ll immediately be sued, then the court won’t rule in my favor, then it’ll go to the Supreme Court, then I’ll call my buddy Kavanaugh, then I’ll say it’s time to repay the Donny, then he’ll say ‘new phone, who this?'” Baldwin went on.
It…wasn’t great. But it was the first of several jabs at Trump throughout the show, with guest host Don Cheadle sending his own messages to the President in the form of two shirts, one reading “Protect Trans Kids,” and another, a hockey jersey, with the Russian initials for the USSR, “CCCP,” on the front, and “Trump 45” printed on the back, according to Fox News.
“As Cheadle thanked the audience during the show’s closing remarks, while flanked by Clark Jr. and cast members like Leslie Jones, he wore a red and white CCCP hockey jersey emblazoned with the number 45. When he turned around, Trump’s name was visible at the top, with an inverted ‘R,'” the network reported.
Cheadle is, of course, no stranger to the “resistance.” He’s an open critic of the President on Twitter, and has been outspoken in his advocacy for climate change and against the administration’s immigration policies.
The full display left the President seething. Sunday morning, Trump tweeted directly at SNL, asking why Republicans were fair game on the show, but Democrats — who’ve had a pretty lousy two weeks — were left almost entirely untouched.
Nothing funny about tired Saturday Night Live on Fake News NBC! Question is, how do the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs without retribution? Likewise for many other shows? Very unfair and should be looked into. This is the real Collusion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2019
“Nothing funny about tired Saturday Night Live on Fake News NBC! Question is, how do the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs without retribution? Likewise for many other shows? Very unfair and should be looked into. This is the real Collusion!” the President tweeted.
THE RIGGED AND CORRUPT MEDIA IS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2019
“THE RIGGED AND CORRUPT MEDIA IS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!” Trump added.