SNL Tackles Trump’s Response to Iran Attack

Saturday Night Live returned on February 28, 2026, after a month-long hiatus for the Winter Olympics, and addressed the recent U.S. And Israel attack on Iran in its cold open. The sketch featured James Austin Johnson as President Donald Trump, satirizing the rationale behind the attack and Trump’s characteristic tendency to deflect from controversy.

Trump’s “Happy World War III”

The cold open began with a PSA announcing the attack on Iran “at the very normal time of 2 in the morning.” Johnson, portraying Trump, then appeared wearing a “USA” cap and quipped, “Happy World War III to all who celebrate.” He continued, identifying himself as a “FIFA Peace Prize winner and Nobel Peace Prize taker” and claiming the attack was launched because “we were bored of peace.”

Distraction and Familiar Rhetoric

Trump, in the sketch, stated that Iran had been “two weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon for, like, the last 15 years or something,” justifying the military action. He then launched into a rendition of Edwin Starr’s “War,” altering the lyrics to include, “War, what is it good for? Distracting from the Epstein files.”

Hegseth and Military Justification

The sketch also featured Colin Jost as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Trump turned to Hegseth, calling him “the man who I’m going to blame it on when it doesn’t perform.” Hegseth, while attempting to explain the operation, admitted to being “scared and I don’t know what I’m doing!” He highlighted the operation’s name, “Epic Fury,” as fitting a quartet of tattoos.

Host Connor Storrie’s Debut

The episode also marked the SNL debut of actor Connor Storrie, known for his role in the series Heated Rivalry. Storrie’s monologue followed a traditional format, reminiscing about his aspirations to become an actor. He was later joined on stage by members of the U.S. Olympic hockey teams.

Other Sketches and Weekend Update

The present included sketches featuring Marcello Hernández and a bachelorette party scenario with Storrie as a male stripper. Weekend Update addressed the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, with Jost acknowledging a lack of sufficient information to offer a judgment, and referencing a 2011 video of Trump criticizing President Obama’s foreign policy. Michael Che responded to questions about the authorization for the attack by noting Israeli approval.

The episode concluded with a performance by Mumford & Sons, featuring guest appearances by Sierra Ferrell and Aaron Dessner of The National.