Colin Jost once again starred in a Saturday Night Live cold open this week, reprising his role as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Jost’s performance largely made fun of Hegseth’s bravado over the Trump administration’s invasion of Venezuela earlier this month, but it also took a shot at Hegseth’s workout videos.
“Just remember, you F with America, we’re going to F you right back,” Jost’s Hegseth said. “Just like it looks like I’m F-ing this kettlebell.”
Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth lifting a kettlebell. NBC
Referencing a viral video of the real Hegseth exercising with a kettlebell, Jost pulled out his own kettlebell and started lifting it up and down, thrusting his hips as he did it.
“You might have seen it in a video,” Jost’s Hegseth said. “It got passed around online, in a positive way.”
Hegseth said threateningly, “Yeah, I’m going to F you like I’ve never done it before, and I’m going to finish way too fast.”
SNL’s Trump, once again played by cast member James Austin Johnson, soon interrupted him.
“That was great, buddy,” Trump told Hegseth, before adding, “Even I know you’re doing that wrong.”
The cold open also saw the return of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, except this time she was not played by Tina Fey. The role was instead taken up by cast member Ashley Padilla for the first time.
“Obviously, there’s been clashes on both sides in Minneapolis. And have we been perfect? Yes,” Padilla’s Noem said.
SNL, Ashley Padilla as Kristi Noem NBC
“And I know a lot of people looking at the situation in Minnesota are wondering the same thing: ‘Can I join ICE?’” Noem said.
She continued. “Well, let me ask you this: is your neck wider than your head? Are you currently wearing a Punisher T-shirt? Have you ever punched a hole in the wall because your son took a dance class? If the answer is yes, then grab a gun, any gun, and saddle up, big boy.”
SNL, Jeremy Culhane as JD Vance. NBC
The cold open also introduced new cast member Jeremy Culhane as Vice President JD Vance.
Culhane is replacing Bowen Yang in the role, as Yang left the show in the previous episode. Trump joked about the cast change, noting that Vance had gotten “a makeover.”
Culhane’s Vance told viewers, “I came here to do two things: kick bubblegum and chew a–. And I’m all out of bubblegum.”
