Saturday Night Live plunged straight back into political satire with its latest episode.

Their return on January 17 marked the first new installment of 2026. The show kicked off with a cold open designed to recap recent events that unfolded during SNL‘s holiday break—and a bit more. James Austin Johnson reprised his role as President Donald Trump, delivering a characteristically disjointed speech that covered everything from international affairs to domestic issues, and even his personal holiday desires.

“I hope everyone enjoyed the festive season and received everything they wished for,” Johnson’s Trump quipped.

“I got exactly what I hoped for: someone else’s Nobel Prize, which I will treasure! Plus, in my stocking, I found Maduro. Nicolás Maduro! We pulled a reverse Santa on him, sliding down the chimney with a sack and whisking him away.”

The sketch soon widened its focus to feature other figures from Trump’s entourage. Colin Jost stepped into the role of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, energetically taking the podium to discuss the situation in Venezuela with barely contained enthusiasm.

“We went in, straight up stole their president,” Jost’s Hegseth declared, before pivoting to Iran because “you don’t dare kill your protesters. That’s our thing!”

The cold open also addressed tensions in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Ashley Padilla appeared as Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, opening with a pointed bit of self-awareness.

“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.”

Padilla’s Noem closed her remarks with a groan-worthy wordplay flourish:

“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 sketch also peppered in rapid-fire references to recent Trump headlines — including a viral moment involving Marcello Hernandez as Secretary of State Marco Rubio — before ending on a casually delivered gut punch.

“Also, midterms are canceled!” Johnson’s Trump announced.

With that, SNL signaled that it wasn’t easing back into the season quietly — and that 2026’s political satire would start exactly where the last year left off.