“President Donald Trump” delivered the “good news” that people would be unable to see their families this Thanksgiving due to sweeping cuts to flight schedules caused by the government shutdown, during Saturday Night Live’s cold open.
“People are saying, but sure, how will I afford my Thanksgiving turkey for my family? Well, good news is your family’s not coming because all the planes are gone,” Trump, played by cast member James Austin Johnson, said.
“We call that problem solving problems killing two birds with another bird.”
More than 1,500 flights were canceled Saturday, and thousands more were delayed, after the Federal Aviation Administration reduced air traffic at 40 airports across the country, causing travel chaos.
The measures have been put in place to reduce the “immense strain and fatigue” on federal workers as some of the busiest holiday travel days approach, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday. The record government shutdown is now in its 39th day, meaning that workers, including air traffic controllers, have not been paid for over a month.
Saturday’s opening was a recreation of the scene in the Oval Office this week when a medical executive fainted at an event on lowering drug prices, while Trump stood motionless and stared ahead.
Trump, played by Johnson, also addressed the election victory of Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York before declaring “but our side had some wins this week too.”
“The Supreme Court said we could stop feeding poor people,” he said. “And for those of you who can afford food, actually, no, you can’t. I promise grocery prices would plummet. And they did. They plummeted straight up!”
On Friday, the Trump administration was allowed to continue only partially funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after an order from the Supreme Court blocked the decision of a lower court which had required the government to fully fund SNAP, otherwise known as food stamps.
SNAP funds, which are distributed by the federal government to states each month, support the nation’s largest anti-hunger program. The funding freeze has left some 42 million Americans who rely on the program facing delays to critical payments.
SNL’s Trump helpfully suggested on the show that those who could not afford food could have “one cheapo Ozempic,” a reference to the administration slashing the price of weight loss drugs during Thursday’s event.
“Now you’re not hungry, and you get to take one weird, painful poop a week,” the fake Trump claimed.
Saturday night’s episode was hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, known for hosting the 2025 Golden Globes and the Roast of Tom Brady. The musical guest was indie rock artist Sombr.
