In a recent episode of Saturday Night Live, the show focused its comedic lens on Donald Trump's massive tariffs, which have significantly impacted the financial markets. The segment humorously highlighted the chaos in the economy, with co-host Colin Jost leading the charge against the president's economic policies.
At the beginning of the skit, Jost quipped, “America elected Trump to run the country like a business, but it turns out he’s running it like one of his businesses.” This sharp observation served as a prelude to a discussion about a video Trump shared, in which he claimed to be “purposely crashing the stock market.” Jost humorously remarked, “I love that you can intentionally ruin the economy and still get to stay president.”
He continued with an outrageous analogy: “It’s like if you drunk-drove your car through the window of the DMV and they were like, ‘License renewed!’ It’s insane.” The co-anchor pointed out that this week marked the worst performance for the stock market since summer 2020, noting with irony that the president at that time was also Trump.
As Jost elaborated on the devastating impact of the tariffs, he joked, “Money is leaving the stock market faster than Morgan Wallen at goodnights.” This reference connected to last week’s musical guest on SNL, Morgan Wallen, who notably left the stage prematurely, generating buzz and merchandise sales from the incident.
Co-anchor Michael Che joined in on the humor, riffing about Trump’s justification for the tariffs. “Trump announced a tariff on all goods imported into the U.S., saying that the U.S. has been plundered and raped by other countries. And Trump will not stand for plundering,” Che joked. His remarks highlighted the absurdity of the situation while emphasizing the president's controversial stance.
The humor escalated when Jost mentioned tariffs being imposed on islands inhabited by penguins but no humans. He quipped, “Well, maybe penguins should stop pushing their gay agenda,” referencing the children’s book And Tango Makes Three, which portrays two male penguins raising a family together. This twist added a layer of absurdity, showcasing the show's ability to blend political commentary with lighthearted humor.
In summary, Saturday Night Live effectively used its platform to critique Donald Trump's tariffs and their repercussions on the economy, all while delivering sharp commentary and entertaining references to popular culture. The combination of political satire and celebrity humor has once again proven to be a winning formula for the iconic show.
