Saturday Night Live Season 51 started with a bang.
The first cold open of the season featured Colin Jost as the former Fox News anchor and current U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is now called the Secretary of War. The skit was a take on Hegseth’s decision to gather military officers in Virginia for a pretty unusual meeting last week.
“Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had the brilliant idea to gather all of our nation’s top generals in one place at one time. And to throw our enemies off the scent, he told them exactly where and when it would happen,” an announcement said at the top of the cold open. “We take you to this meeting now.”
Enter: Jost as Hegseth, walking in with an absurd bravado and rock music blaring on stage. “Cut the track,” he said before going on to call the military “gay” and “fat” and encouraging all members to begin emulating President Donald Trump: “6’6″, buck 75, A-cups, perky, with a dump truck in the back you wouldn’t even believe.”
Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, interrupted Hegseth’s speech to make sure SNL doesn’t “do anything too mean about me,” referencing his role in Jimmy Kimmel Live‘s recent suspension.
“Remember: Daddy’s watching,” Johnson’s Trump said. “And live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”
