In Saturday Night Live's season 51 episode 7, hosted by Melissa McCarthy, Colin Jost portrayed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a satirical press conference announcing war with Venezuela. The sketch highlighted Hegseth deflecting questions about a deadly military strike while President Trump dozed off in the background. Trump later awoke to defend the actions amid comedic absurdity.
Episode Overview
Saturday Night Live's season 51, episode 7, aired with Melissa McCarthy as host, delivering a strong performance that elevated the show's energy. The episode included various sketches, but one standout was the political satire featuring Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth, the fictional Secretary of Defense.
Sketch Details
In the sketch, Jost's Hegseth swaggered into a press conference, chugged an energy drink, and abruptly announced, "We're now at war with Venezuela." When reporters sought an official declaration of war, Hegseth responded with a dramatic middle finger gesture, channeling a Dane Cook-style retort. Questions about a U.S. military strike on a Venezuelan fishing boat—targeting alleged drug traffickers—were met with shouts and deflections. Hegseth admitted needing "a stiff drink" amid the chaos.
Reporters pressed on President Donald Trump's support for Hegseth, given waning public approval. Hegseth boasted that Trump is a "high-energy alpha" who backs him fully, even as an actor playing Trump visibly dozed off behind him.
Trump's Intervention
Trump's character eventually stirred from sleep, having dreamt about New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Taking the podium, he justified the strike as part of the "fog of war," comparing it to unexpected actions in an Equinox sauna: "It's like when you go into the sauna at Equinox and suddenly, you're doing stuff you've never done before."
The sketch poked fun at political bravado and military mishaps, staying true to SNL's tradition of timely satire. Viewers can watch the full clip on the official SNL platforms.