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SNL cold open mocks Trump, Hegseth and Republican midterm messaging

Saturday Night Live's 3 October cold open satirised Republican strategists preparing for the midterms, with Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth and James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump in a fake campaign ad.

3 outlets · 2L · 1C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Deadline
Image: Variety
Image: Rolling Stone

1 / 3

The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2Saturday Night Live's cold open on 3 October 2026 parodied Republican efforts to build enthusiasm roughly a month before the midterm elections. Mixed · 2The sketch opened with Andrew Dismukes and Ashley Padilla as Republican strategists, and Deadline described them as RNC ad consultants. Mixed · 2Marcello Hernández played Marco Rubio, who in Variety's account speaks to constituents in Spanish and admits Trump did not live up to expectations; Deadline quotes him saying "He tricked us".

Mixed · 2Mitch McConnell, played by Mikey Day, appeared and tried to say "Live from New York" too early. Variety describes him as frozen and able only to give a peace sign, while Deadline says the strategists cut him off. Mixed · 2Jeremy Culhane played Vice President JD Vance, whose lack of charisma was mocked in a camera test that began "Hi, I'm JD Vance" before he was dismissed; Deadline called him a 2028 Vance that no one wanted to put in a spot. Mixed · 2Colin Jost played Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a fake campaign ad, greeting viewers with "What's up, schlong donkeys?" (per Deadline) and urging patriots to "do the gayest thing ever and vote". Variety reports he chugged a non-alcoholic beer promoted by Tom Holland, Bero.

Mixed · 2Hegseth's lines also included "Thanks to me, the military finally has its priorities and sexuality straight" and, per Variety, "I'm putting the God back in war and it's working." Mixed · 2James Austin Johnson's Trump said "I'm President Trump and I approve this ramble" and promised $5,000 for every voter if Republicans win, adding that it was not a bribe because he had no intention of following through; Variety says this mocked a real-life plan to reimburse voters for a Republican midterm win. Mixed · 2Dakota Johnson hosted the episode, the second of SNL's 52nd season, with Turnstile as musical guest; Deadline notes the West Coast airing was delayed by college football.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left2 outlets

Framing
Variety gives a briefer, scene-by-scene rundown of the sketch, calling the Hegseth segment its highlight.
Emphasis
The Tom Holland Bero beer gag, Hegseth's lines, and the link between Trump's $5,000 joke and a real plan.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not cover Trump's longer ramble or the polling backdrop.
Charged language
“endless war”
For example
“The sketch’s highlight was Colin Jost returning as Pete Hegseth” — Variety
“He also made fun of his real-life plan to reimburse American voters for a Republican midterm win” — Variety

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Deadline treats the sketch as a sharp, well-judged piece of midterm satire and praises its length and Trump portrayal.
Emphasis
Trump's ramble, Hegseth's campaign ad and the poor polling backdrop; episode and upcoming schedule details.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention the Tom Holland beer joke or the real-life reimbursement plan context.
Charged language
“MAGA Midterms Desperation”“Trumpland”“POTUS came to cook”
For example
“the NBC late-nighter went full MAGA, with some Mitch McConnell on the side.” — Deadline
“entirely because POTUS came to cook, base loathing and all.” — Deadline

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.