'SNL' opens with Iran strikes and Khamenei killing in Trump-led cold open

Saturday Night Live opened its February 28 episode with a sketch centred on reports that the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran earlier in the day, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The cold open featured James Austin Johnson reprising his role as President Donald Trump. Addressing viewers, he declared, “Happy World War III to all who celebrate!”

Johnson’s Trump claimed he authorised the attack because he and his “Board of Peace decided that we were bored of peace” and said he needed help “distracting from the Epstein files.”

“I know on the campaign trail I promised no new foreign wars,” he said. “But listen: Wars, plural, right? I'm allowed to do one.”

In a self-referential moment, the character suggested the timing disrupted the programme’s planned satire of the president’s State of the Union address. “People are asking, 'Why attack Iran now?' Well, we had to strike in the early hours of Saturday, which has two advantages militarily: One, it's after the stock market closes for the weekend, and two, it's to cause immeasurable fear, rage and chaos in the 'SNL' writer's room,” he said. “Those guys were going crazy. They probably had a big State of the Union address thing they were going to do. Not anymore!”

Colin Jost appeared as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, telling the audience, “I am scared and I don't know what I'm doing. When he said we were going to blow up the leader of Iran, I thought he was kidding.”

The episode marked the show’s return after a near month-long hiatus and a shift back to its established format of opening with a Trump parody. Connor Storrie hosted the programme, with Mumford & Sons serving as musical guest, as the series begins three consecutive weeks of new episodes.