Trending Now - SNL' Features Trump in Cold Open Amid Gas Price Jokes

WHO:

President Trump, played by James Austin Johnson

Timothée Chalamet, referenced in the sketch

Harry Styles, host and musical guest of the March 14 episode

Colin Jost, portrayed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth

Mikey Day, Ashley Padilla, Marcello Hernández, and Sarah Sherman, cast members in the sketch

WHAT:

"Saturday Night Live" aired a cold open on March 14, 2026, featuring a family struggling with rising gas prices

President Trump, as portrayed by Johnson, made jokes about gas prices and the stock market

Trump stated, "gas costs like a million, billion dollars a gallon"

Trump commented on the stock market, saying, "The stock market is going in one direction: Down"

Trump referenced the United States' war with Iran, saying, "We will win this war because Iran is old and nobody likes them"

Jost's character, Pete Hegseth, stated, "I’ll tell you the same thing I say when people ask about our plans for Iran: I don’t know"

WHERE:

The sketch took place at a gas station, as depicted in the cold open of "Saturday Night Live"

WHEN:

The episode of "Saturday Night Live" aired on March 14, 2026

The previous episode aired on February 28, 2026, coinciding with military strikes against Iran

WHY:

The cold open addressed rising gas prices and the ongoing war with Iran as part of its comedic commentary

HOW:

The cold open utilized satire and humor to comment on political issues, featuring impersonations and scripted dialogue

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 13:18 UTC)

On March 14, 2026, "Saturday Night Live" kicked off with a cold open set at a gas station, where President Trump, portrayed by James Austin Johnson, humorously lamented rising gas prices and the stock market's decline. In the sketch, Trump quipped that gas costs "like a million, billion dollars a gallon," while referencing the ongoing war with Iran, stating, "We will win this war because Iran is old and nobody likes them." Colin Jost, playing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, added to the satire with his line, "I don’t know," when asked about plans for Iran, highlighting the comedic take on current political issues.