5 Wildest Moments From SNL’s ‘Air Force One’ Cold Open That Skewered Trump And The Epstein Scandal

The most recent episode of Saturday Night Live, which aired on Saturday, December 13, 2025, delivered a politically charged and instantly viral cold open that dominated social media feeds and news recaps throughout the weekend. The sketch, titled "Air Force One Press Conference," put James Austin Johnson's highly praised Donald Trump impression back in the spotlight, using the President's rambling, stream-of-consciousness style to tackle the most explosive headlines of the week, including the newly released Jeffrey Epstein photos and the battle for WBD.

This episode, Season 51, Episode 8, was hosted by British actor Josh O'Connor and featured musical guest Lily Allen, but it was the opening sketch that truly set the tone. As of today, Monday, December 15, 2025, the cold open is being dissected by critics and fans alike for its sharp commentary, its high-stakes political targets, and a jaw-dropping joke about Santa Claus that no one saw coming. Here is a deep dive into the most controversial and hilarious moments from the cold open.

The Cold Open: 'Air Force One Press Conference' Breakdown

The sketch opens with President Donald Trump (played by James Austin Johnson, who has perfected the cadence and tangents of the former President) holding an impromptu press conference in the tight confines of Air Force One. The setting immediately satirizes Trump's real-life habit of holding chaotic, off-the-cuff press gaggles while traveling.

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The scene features cast members playing a rotating cast of reporters, all vying for a word, and the unflappable Ashley Padilla as White House Press Secretary Karoline, attempting to maintain order. Johnson's Trump is in peak form, jumping from topic to topic, from the WBD (Warner Bros. Discovery) merger to the latest political rivalries, all while sounding like he's mixing his medications.

• Sketch Title: Air Force One Press Conference
• Episode Date: December 13, 2025 (Season 51, Episode 8)
• Host: Josh O'Connor
• Musical Guest: Lily Allen
• Key Player: James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump
• Supporting Cast: Ashley Padilla as Karoline, various cast members as reporters.
• Main Topical Targets: Jeffrey Epstein photo release, WBD/media deals, Michigan football coach, Christmas spirit.

1. The 'Epstein Photo' Confrontation That Went Too Far

The central, most daring part of the cold open was its direct confrontation of the newly released photos that allegedly tied President Trump to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The sketch didn't shy away from the controversial topic, with a reporter (played by Heidi Gardner) immediately asking about the "unflattering pictures" that had dominated the news cycle.

Johnson’s Trump, instead of offering a defense, immediately launched into a classic deflection. He claimed the photos were "fake news" and that the "lighting was terrible," before seamlessly pivoting to a monologue about the "greatest lighting" he ever had at a rally in Pennsylvania. This quick, almost manic escape from the topic is a hallmark of Johnson's impression, showing how the President can use a flood of unrelated words to avoid accountability. The use of the Epstein scandal in the cold open proved that SNL is willing to tackle the most sensitive and current political controversies head-on.

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2. The 'Ambien vs. Adderall' Running Gag

A major source of the comedy, and a subtle nod to political chatter, was James Austin Johnson's characterization of Trump's energy levels. Throughout the sketch, Trump's speech patterns oscillate wildly, leading one reporter to ask if he was on a mix of Ambien and Adderall. This joke played on the popular speculation about the President's often-erratic public appearances and late-night social media posts.

The high-energy, rambling delivery was frequently punctuated by Johnson’s signature vocal tics and specific word pronunciations, such as referring to the White House Press Secretary as "Karoline, who has great lips, by the way." Ashley Padilla’s straight-faced, exasperated reaction as Karoline, trying to keep the press corps in check, provided the perfect comedic foil to Johnson's chaos, highlighting her emerging role as a key player in the SNL cast.

3. The Michigan Coach and WBD Media Deal Tangents

The cold open achieved topical authority by weaving in several other major news stories. Trump spent a considerable amount of time discussing the fate of the Michigan football coach and the drama surrounding the potential Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) media deal. This is a common tactic in SNL's political sketches: to show the President's attention constantly being diverted to random, often petty, cultural or business feuds.

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The rapid-fire nature of these tangents—from college sports to massive corporate mergers—is what makes Johnson's performance so accurate and exhausting to watch. The audience reaction on social media was a mix of laughter and recognition, with many commenting on how the sketch perfectly captured the "Air Force One press gaggle" environment.

4. The Unforgettable 'Striking Santa' Punchline

The most shocking and viral moment of the entire cold open came at the very end. While discussing his new military budget and the need for "air superiority," Trump's rambling led to an absurd and dark punchline. He claimed to have ordered a missile strike on an unidentified flying object in the North Pole region, only for a reporter to clarify that the object was, in fact, Santa Claus’s sleigh.

The sketch concluded with Trump shrugging off the "mistake" by saying, "He was a threat, a very large man, very powerful man. We took him out. We saved Christmas, folks." This joke, which attacked the very spirit of the holiday season, was a classic SNL move, using an over-the-top, non-sequitur moment to end the sketch on a darkly comedic and memorable note. It immediately became the most shared clip on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).

5. The Host’s Absence and the Cast’s Dominance

Interestingly, host Josh O'Connor, a critically acclaimed British actor known for his serious roles in The Crown and *Challengers*, did not appear in the cold open. This is a common pattern for political cold opens, but it highlighted how much the SNL cast, particularly James Austin Johnson, Ashley Padilla, and Sarah Sherman (who often appears in political sketches), are now driving the show's political commentary.

While O'Connor's later sketches were praised for his willingness to get silly (including one where he played a stripper, according to critics), the cold open was a pure showcase for the cast's political firepower. The episode, which was the final one before the Christmas break, successfully delivered on its promise of tackling the week's biggest headlines with biting, uncompromising satire, setting a high bar for the rest of Season 51.