SNL Makes Brutal Joke About Donald Trump’s Involvement In Epstein Files

Saturday Night Live’s latest cold open tackled the political storm surrounding newly released Jeffrey Epstein emails, mocking President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismiss the controversy. The sketch aired on 15 November, shortly after the House Oversight Committee unveiled thousands of messages from Epstein’s estate, over 1,000 of which reportedly reference Trump.

The scene opened with Ashley Padilla as press secretary Karoline Leavitt answering questions about the emails. Tension rose when Kenan Thompson’s reporter character pressed the administration about what Trump might be hiding.

James Austin Johnson then entered as Trump, insisting he was concealing “almost nothing—just enough to be extremely suspicious.” He dodged repeated questions about his name appearing throughout the released correspondence.

Reporters in the sketch referenced specific messages drawing scrutiny in Washington. One email describing Trump as “the dog that hasn’t barked” was highlighted, with Johnson’s Trump brushing it off as political noise echoing real-life responses.

Another reporter asked about Trump’s past ties to Epstein, prompting a comedic tangent about a “Trump multiverse,” portraying the president as avoiding accountability while exaggerating his persona.

A running gag centered on Trump treating the scandal as a business opportunity. Johnson’s character claimed he would release every Epstein email—for “$800 each”—and displayed a poorly printed, heavily redacted “collector’s item.”

The sketch aired as the real political dispute intensified, with Trump calling the emails a “hoax” and the White House accusing critics of trying to distract from policy issues. Despite efforts to downplay the revelations, questions about Trump’s history with Epstein continue, and ongoing congressional decisions about further document releases could deepen the controversy.