The British version of the iconic sketch show, SNL UK, is making major waves across the pond and right here at home. During the Saturday, May episode, the show’s Weekend Update segment took an incredibly sharp jab at President Donald Trump following the recent, harrowing shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The moment, which has since exploded on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, saw cohost Ania Magliano addressing the terrifying security breach that occurred at the Washington Hilton just a week prior.
“For all those in attendance it was an undeniably terrifying event,” Magliano began. She then delivered the punchline that sent shockwaves through the audience: “President Trump s himself. Minutes later the shots rang out.”
A Night of Political Satire
The joke, which pointedly poked fun at the -year-old President’s age and his reaction to the crisis, was just one part of a night filled with political commentary. The episode, hosted by The White Lotus breakout star Aimee Lou Wood, kicked off with a cold open featuring King Charles III (Larry Dean) and Queen Camilla (Emma Sidi) celebrating their state visit to the U.S.
“There’s no way Donald Trump will do anything weird or bad ever again,” Sidi’s Camilla quipped during the sketch, highlighting the show’s commitment to lean heavily into the current political climate.
Fans and Officials React
While some viewers on social media praised the show for its “bravery” and “classic British wit,” the response from the White House was understandably much cooler. Us Weekly has reached out to the White House for comment, but officials have already been vocal about the recent trend of late-night hosts targeting the President.
The SNL UK moment follows a week of intense drama involving Jimmy Kimmel. Following the shooting at the WHCD—where -year-old Cole Tomas Allen was apprehended after allegedly firing shots that struck a Secret Service officer’s protective vest—the White House has been on the offensive.
Steven Cheung, White House director of communications, took to X to slam Kimmel for a previous joke where he referred to Melania Trump as having the “glow like an expectant widow.” Cheung labeled the comedian a “s human being,” accusing him of making a “disgusting joke about assassinating the President.”
The Ongoing Feud
The tension between the White House and late-night comedy seems to be at an all-time high. Both the President and First Lady Melania Trump, , have called for Kimmel to be fired from ABC, with Melania tweeting that his rhetoric is “intended to divide our country.”
Kimmel, however, defended himself during his Monday night broadcast, clarifying that his “expectant widow” joke was a commentary on the couple’s age gap rather than a call to violence.
“It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination, and they know that,” Kimmel told his viewers, adding that he understood the First Lady had experienced a “stressful experience” given the shooting incident.
What is Next?
As the fallout from the SNL UK joke continues to trend, the conversation around the boundaries of political satire remains a hot topic. While some see these jokes as a necessary part of comedy, others feel they cross a line during times of national security concerns.
For those wanting to see the buzz for themselves, SNL UK continues on Sky in the U.K., while U.S. fans can catch the latest episodes streaming on Peacock. With Hannah Waddingham set to host the next episode on May , fans are already wondering if the show will double down on its political commentary or pivot to lighter fare.
One thing is for certain: in the world of late-night TV, the gloves are officially off.
