In a biting cold open, “Saturday Night Live” took aim at President Trump, poking fun at the heavily-redacted release of Epstein-related documents. The show, known for its sharp political satire, used the opportunity to lampoon the president’s self-proclaimed transparency.

James Austin Johnson stepped into the role of Trump, delivering a comedic portrayal that highlighted the president’s boast of being the ‘most transparent in history.’ This came in the wake of the Justice Department’s document release on Friday, where numerous pages were heavily redacted. Trump’s name appeared only sparingly, leading to accusations that he had ensured his own involvement was obscured.

In character, Johnson’s Trump quipped, “We released all the files, and I come out looking, frankly, very good.” He stood beside a large mock-up file with strategically placed redactions, humorously labeled “Trump Didn’t Do Nothing Bad.”

Continuing the gag, Johnson’s Trump added, “We had to redact a few sensitive things, but you’ll get the gist here.” He punctuated the skit with a self-satisfied, “See, it’s all there. Can you believe it?”

As always, “Saturday Night Live” leveraged its platform to provide a satirical take on current events, blending humor with a critique of political transparency. The sketch underscored the ongoing public interest and skepticism surrounding the Epstein files and Trump’s connection to them.

‘See, it’s all there. Can you believe it?’ he continued.  

‘With regard to files, we’re being very transparent… Because Jeffrey Epstein was a terrible man, and I didn’t know him, and I liked him a lot.’ 

The bit divided opinions as conservatives criticized SNL writers for the snow’s declining viewership and the sketch’s failure to mention former Democratic President Bill Clinton also appearing throughout the latest Epstein files release.   

President Trump was mocked by Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson for the heavily-redacted Epstein files release in a divisive cold open this week 

Johnson ridiculed Trump’s release of the Epstein Files as he next to a large image with redactions around the words ‘Trump Didn’t Do Nothing Bad’, as he joked: ‘We had to redact a few sensitive things, but you’ll get the gist here’ 

The SNL cold open also took aim at Trump’s recent moves to rename the iconic Kennedy Center to add his own name to the facade. 

‘We are renaming the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which will now be called the Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts No Homo,’ he quipped.  

Johnson’s Trump jokes that he was renaming so many government buildings after himself because his administration ‘had to take it off so many files.’ 

‘We had to put them somewhere,’ he said. 

Showing images of historic sites with the president’s name on them, he continued: ‘“I’m actually going to be renaming a number of our other monuments as well…Trump-Washington Monument…Trump Lincoln Memorial.’ 

Johnson’s Trump went on to mock the president’s habit of losing his train of thought and zig-zagging between talking points, including his frequent references to taking cognitive tests. 

‘I’m doing my own version of Nativity now, where kings from the Middle East bring gifts for me, like gold and airplane and casino deal in Dubai,’ he said. 

‘But unlike nativity, they’re not showing up on camel. And I know camel, I know it very well. I know it from my mandatory daily cognitive test.

‘I always get camel right. It’s bumpy horse, that’s how I know camel, bumpy horse.’ 

Johnson’s Trump impression was criticized by supporters of the president, with one self-described MAGA fan describing it on X as ‘as weak & pitiful as SNL has ever been’

Johnson’s Trump impression was criticized by supporters of the president, with one self-described MAGA fan describing it on X as ‘as weak & pitiful as SNL has ever been.’

‘The ideas, the writing & delivery of those ideas & writing is worse than it’s ever been. Turn out the lights, lock the doors & turn that block of time into showing more entertaining TV. Paint drying & grass growing,’ they wrote in response to the SNL sketch on X. 

Another wrote sarcastically: ‘I’m starting to think this show is biased. 

‘Clinton, Michael Jackson, Reiner, a Conan O’Brien Christmas party, how did they miss this the jokes could’ve wrote themselves,’ they added. 

Others accused SNL of omitting Bill Clinton’s place in the Epstein files as the show took aim solely at Trump. 

‘They should do a skit on why Biden didn’t release the files if so damaging to Trump…. Or even better, one that portrays the Clinton’s,’ one observer wrote. 

‘I miss SNL being humorous…..’