On April 12, 2025, Saturday Night Live aired an April episode that humorously targeted President Donald Trump’s administration, particularly his tariff policies. Hosted by John Ham, the show included an Easter-themed sketch in which comedian James Austin Johnson portrayed Trump, comparing him to Jesus Christ during biblical scenes.

The SNL skit featured cast members like Mikey Day as Jesus alongside Kenan Thompson and others in a reenactment of a biblical scene where Jesus drives money changers from the temple. When Johnson’s Trump enters, he quips, “Do you remember someone?” before commenting on the state of America saying, “Wow, I took the money off last week too, but instead of one temple, I did the whole country. Maybe even on Earth. The money is gone.”

Johnson’s Trump persona humorously referenced the tariffs, joking, “Hello, that’s me, your favorite president, Donald Jesus Trump.” He went on to discuss the effects of tariffs on the economy, emphasizing the socio-economic disparities with a jab at wealth redistribution: “The transfer of historic wealth from the middle class to my peers.” Furthermore, he likened the fluctuations in the stock market to a religious metaphor, stating, “It died, and on the third day he was resurrected, on the fourth day he died again, and probably never returned to like Jesus.”

The sketch also covered the absurdity of rising costs, such as the price of eggs around Easter, poking fun at the intersection of commerce and religion: “In Easter’s most sacred season, let us remember the lessons that Jesus taught us when he went against those redeemers. We should not mix religion and commerce.”

In a witty closing remark, he referenced a hypothetical “Trump Bible,” stating, “You can read everything about it in my Trump Bible. It’s now made in the US, so it costs $1,300 and falls apart even faster.”

Colin Jost and other cast members continued the satire during the Weekend Update segment, where they laughed at Trump’s recent announcement of a 90-day tariff suspension. The suspension came after bipartisan criticism of his original tariff plans, notably excluding China, where import taxes surged by 125%.

This SNL episode aired shortly after several headlines involving Trump, including a resumed coverage of a failed assassination attempt. In a publicized move, the White House replaced the official portrait of former President Barack Obama with a customized painting based on Trump’s photographs, further fueling media interest in his presidency.

Additionally, Trump made headlines by signing an executive order aimed at increasing the water pressure of showerheads, declaring, “Today, President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order to end the war on Obama-built water pressure and make American showers great again.”

Saturday Night Live continues to serve as a platform for political satire, addressing current events while engaging viewers with humor. The comedy sketch from April 12 exemplifies how entertainment can reflect and challenge prevalent political narratives.