‘SNL’ Skewers Trump’s Latest Fox News Pick with Cecily Strong’s Return as Wine-Slinging Jeanine Pirro
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Saturday Night Live
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Saturday Night Live kicked off the weekend with a cold open that zeroed in on two familiar targets: Donald Trump and Fox News. Making things even juicier? Cecily Strong returned to the show to reprise her unhinged, vino-sloshing take on Judge Jeanine Pirro—just in time to mock Trump’s latest headline-grabbing hire.
The real-life Trump recently tapped Pirro, co-host of The Five, as interim U.S. attorney. Naturally, SNL couldn’t let that pass without a sketch.
James Austin Johnson’s Trump made the introduction, proudly announcing that “Jeanine will be the newest addition to my incredible team in my administration.” Strong’s Pirro, all fired up and gripping a generous glass of Merlot, responded with barely-contained glee: she was “so proud to be part of this group full of Russian assets, booze hounds and people famous for the little baby animals they’ve killed.”
Trump praised her as a “great legal mind,” adding that the most important quality he looks for in a lawyer is that “she’s on TV.” He reminded everyone that she’s a regular on The Five, “which is a show on Fox, kind of like The View.” That’s all Strong’s Pirro needed to jump in with a shout:
“I’m a Whoopi!”
“You’re very Whoopi,” Trump replied. “But you’re also very tough.”
Pirro ran with it, segueing into her signature hardline stance on immigration. “I don’t have any reservations about sending things back,” she said. “My friends know I’ve sent back every salad I’ve ever ordered at a restaurant.” Trump, true to form, quipped, “Wouldn’t know. I have never eaten one.”
As if that weren’t enough chaos, the sketch introduced Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth—Trump’s new Defense Secretary and another former Fox News personality (Fox & Friends Weekend). After repeatedly demonstrating his spectacular incompetence (Pirro spat wine at him more than once), he finally handed her a bottle of hard liquor to spray directly into his mouth. “I accidentally added Kim Jong Un to the group chat,” he confessed, as he opened wide for a hit of booze.
The sketch began with an SNL Mother’s Day tradition: cast members appearing with their real-life moms. But just as things were getting wholesome, Trump barged in, declaring, “It’s me again, invading all aspects of your life.”
And for those hoping for a Chicago-style spin on the newly elected pope (say, a “Da Pope” skit à la Da Bears), Johnson’s Trump shut it down immediately: “Instead you get me. Isn’t that exciting?”
Cecily Strong left the SNL cast in 2022, but this sketch marked a welcome return—wine tossing, Trump roasting, and all.
You can watch the full cold open above.
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