Updated Jan. 18, 2026, 1:08 a.m. ET
“Saturday Night Live” is back, and it has a lot to catch up on.
The sketch show returned on Jan. 17 with its first new episode of 2026. In the cold open, James Austin Johnson starred as President Donald Trump delivering an address to catch viewers up on everything that’s happened while the show has been off the air, including the United States’ capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.
“I hope everyone had a nice holiday and got what they wanted for Christmas,” Johnson as Trump said. “I got what I wanted: My very own someone else’s Nobel Prize, which I’ll cherish! And in my stocking I got Maduro. Nicolás Maduro! We did a reverse Santa on him. We came down the chimney with a bag and took him away.”
Colin Jost once again played Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who angrily took the podium to discuss the situation in Venezuela. “We went in, straight up stole their president,” Jost as Hegseth said, adding that the United States will target Iran next because “you don’t dare kill your protesters. That’s our thing!”
The sketch also acknowledged the tensions in Minneapolis after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Ashley Padilla played Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
“Before we start, I’d like to give a quick shoutout to my hair and makeup team, who absolutely hate me,” she said. “Now, obviously, there’s been clashes on both sides in Minneapolis, and have we been perfect? Yes.”
She went on to add, “Just know, you can always count on me, because my last name is Noem, as in, do I have the situation under control? Noem, I don’t.”
The cold open also included brief spoofs of other recent Trump news items, including a viral moment when the president read a note from Secretary of State Marco Rubio out loud, and it concluded with Johnson’s Trump casually announcing, “Also, midterms are canceled!”
Finn Wolfhard hosted the first new “SNL” of 2026 with musical guest A$AP Rocky. The episode came weeks after the series finale of Wolfhard’s Netflix show “Stranger Things.” Rocky, meanwhile, recently dropped his latest album, “Don’t Be Dumb.”
“SNL” was most recently hosted by Ariana Grande on Dec. 20 with musical guest Cher. That episode was the last for longtime cast member Bowen Yang, who tearfully said goodbye to the show in a meta sketch where he played an airport employee on his final shift.
Who’s hosting ‘SNL’ next?
Wolfhard’s episode kicked off three consecutive weeks of new “SNL” shows.
“SNL” will be back next week with an episode hosted by Teyana Taylor with musical guest Geese. Taylor’s hosting debut will come amid Oscar buzz for her role in “One Battle After Another,” for which she recently received a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actress.
The following week, Alexander Skarsgård will make his “SNL” hosting debut on Jan. 31, joined by musical guest Cardi B.
