Saturday Night Live premieres Season 52 with Trump and Mamdani satire

Saturday Night Live (SNL) premiered its 52nd season with NBA star Jalen Brunson hosting. The season opener featured a cold open that satirized the unexpected rapport between President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In the sketch, James Austin Johnson portrayed Trump visiting Mamdani, played by Ramy Youssef, at Gracie Mansion during a nor’easter storm.

The sketch also lampooned Trump aide Natalie Harp, played by Ashley Padilla. The character was depicted as intensely devoted to the president, making a dramatic entrance and issuing a warning to the mayor. The segment drew on real-world discussions regarding Harp’s close relationship with the president.

In addition to the cold open, the Weekend Update segment addressed various political headlines, including President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States and recent congressional activities.

Separately, Mayor Mamdani’s administration has been active in New York City, recently launching the Jobs NYC Center in Lower Manhattan to assist with civil service hiring and securing a $131.5 million settlement with DoorDash regarding delivery worker pay laws.