SNL kicks off new season by roasting Trump’s “War Wins” and Late-Night battles

Saturday Night Live came back with a bang for its 51st season, kicking off with a fiery cold open that wasted no time mocking Donald Trump.

The sketch targeted his recent claims of “ending all wars,” his public gripes with late-night TV hosts, and his rumored connection to Jeffrey Epstein.

James Austin Johnson reprised his role as Trump, joking, “I’m just keeping an eye on SNL, making sure they don’t do anything too mean about me.”

Standing in front of a massive American flag, his exaggerated confidence drew laughter from the crowd.

The skit also parodied Trump’s boasts about peace deals. “I ended all the wars, except the two main ones still happening,” Johnson’s Trump quipped, taking a jab at the former president’s contradictory statements.

Elsewhere, Colin Jost mocked military culture as “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth, calling for “shredded, hairless men” in uniform, before being interrupted by Trump’s chaotic presence.

Moreover, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny hosted the episode, joking about his upcoming Super Bowl performance, proving SNL is back to mixing sharp political satire with celebrity flair.