Saturday Night Live” closed its 51st season with a sharp political cold open featuring Will Ferrell as the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein, delivering biting satire aimed at President Donald Trump and his administration.
The sketch opened with Ferrell’s Epstein appearing amid references to the administration’s controversies and political missteps. In one of the segment’s most pointed lines, Ferrell told Trump: “No matter how many wars you start or how badly you tank the economy as a distraction, people will always associate you with me.”
The cold open also featured cast member JC, Jeremy Culhane as Vice President JD Vance, portraying him as politically sidelined following a fictionalized diplomatic disaster involving Taiwan and China.
Blending dark humor with political commentary, the sketch played as both liberal wish fulfillment and a nightmare scenario for Republicans. Anchored by Ferrell’s performance, the segment delivered one of the season’s most provocative and widely discussed moments.