President Donald Trump begs to trade the White House for Downing Street in a transatlantic “job swap” during the latest cold open of Saturday Night Live U.K.
American Saturday Night Live star James Austin Johnson brings his Trump impersonation across the Atlantic to appear in a sketch with George Fouracres as U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Freddie Meredith as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The sketch stages a meeting between the U.K. and Ukrainian leaders at 10 Downing Street before Johnson’s Trump interrupts proceedings in the first crossover of a current American SNL star with the British adaptation of the show.
The meeting initially focuses on Britain's continued support for Ukraine, including the proposed acceleration of missile deliveries. However, the discussion takes a turn when Burnham promises to raise Zelensky's concerns about internet access and the threat of Russian drone strikes with Trump.
Trump soon makes an unexpected entrance.
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“You say my name and I appear,” says Trump. “I got the idea from my very close friend Beetlejuice, the late, great Beetlejuice. It's one of the two ways I am like him. The other is sex pest. Alleged. They can't prove he did that stuff."
The sketch also takes aim at Russell Brand, currently on trial charged with rapes and sexual assaults, which he denies.
“I’m in town to see my favorite comedian,” Johnson’s Trump says. “He’s performing live at the High Court in the role of defendant.”
After spotting Zelensky, Trump tells him: “Me and Putin were just talking about you. Not in a nice way. Very bad.”
Johnson’s Trump then reveals the real purpose of his visit: he wants to exchange jobs with Burnham.
“Yeah, I take over the U.K. You take over America,” Trump says. “I tell you, that place is a real mess. You’re gonna hate it.”
Fouracres' Burnham declines the proposal, telling him: “I’ve barely even started. People don’t even hate me yet.”
Johnson’s Trump also riffs on some of Britain’s biggest recent headlines, including the Manchester City scandal, the small-boats crisis and the recent fatal tiger attack.
"How about that tiger, folks, huh? Big tiger problems. Gobbling your guys up. I'm team tiger," Johnson’s Trump says.
The jokes come days after the real President Trump shared footage linked to a deadly tiger attack in England, then posted an AI-generated video portraying himself tackling the big cat.
In the SNL U.K. sketch Trump outlines how he would tackle one of Britain's most contentious political issues, the illegal arrival of migrants in small boats.
“If I was in charge, no more small boats,” Johnson's Trump says. “Day one: big, beautiful boats. The biggest boats you’ve ever seen.”
The sketch also mocks SNL U.K.'s cast as Johnson's Trump questions why the British cast needed to import him to play the president, joking that the show does not have “one guy who can play Trump.”
When Burnham ultimately rejects the job swap, Trump offers the position to Zelensky instead.
“Trust me, you don’t want my job,” Meredith's Zelensky responds. “It’s terrible. So much of it involves spending time with you.”
Trump eventually concedes defeat and prepares to return to the U.S., telling Zelensky to contact him if he needed “anything at all” before adding, “provided it’s not help with war.”
The gags come amid a real-life dispute between Washington and Kyiv over disruptions to the satellite internet service used by Ukraine’s military. Zelensky has said the restrictions were deliberate, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that the White House had ordered any slowdown and said the service had since been restored.
The SNL U.K. cold open ends with Burnham, Zelensky and Trump delivering the show's introduction with a “Live from London, it’s Saturday Night!” The episode is hosted by James Norton, the British actor known for roles in Happy Valley, Grantchester and House of the Dragon, with The Streets appearing as musical guest.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Trevor Davies