“Saturday Night Live” opened its second episode of the season with a satirical sketch focused on the Republican National Committee’s efforts ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, which polls suggest are challenging for the GOP. The cold open took place in a simulated RNC office in Washington, D.C., where cast members Andrew Dismukes and Ashley Padilla portrayed campaign staff attempting to produce campaign ads to energize the Republican base.
The sketch featured Marcello Hernández as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who attempted to record an ad partly in Spanish, though his co-workers appeared confused by his message. Hernández’s Rubio expressed frustration with shifting foreign policy priorities, referencing U.S. engagements in Venezuela and Iran. Ashley Padilla responded with enthusiasm despite not understanding the Spanish dialogue.
Following this, Jeremy Culhane as Vice President JD Vance introduced Mikey Day’s impression of Senator Mitch McConnell. Day’s McConnell remained largely unresponsive to prompting, eventually making a peace sign and referencing McConnell’s recent quiet return to the Senate amid health concerns. The interaction underscored perceptions of the senator’s diminished presence.
Colin Jost appeared as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, delivering a parody of the official’s recent divisive and expletive-laden remarks to military troops. Jost’s version closed with a humorous reminder about voting by mail, playing on the double meaning of the phrase “bi male.”
The sketch concluded with James Austin Johnson portraying former President Donald Trump, who reiterated a controversial campaign promise to issue $5,000 checks to voters if Republicans prevailed in the midterms—though he humorously acknowledged this promise was unlikely to be fulfilled.
Actress Dakota Johnson hosted the episode, marking her third time and performing on the eve of her 37th birthday. In her opening monologue, Johnson reflected on her life since last hosting in 2024, including promoting the film “Madame Web,” which she noted had yet to break even financially. She also shared details about two recent, highly publicized breakups with musicians and spoke about relying on close friends for support.
The episode featured a surprise appearance by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who Johnson described as “literally my therapist.” Swift corrected that she was not a therapist but a friend who shared wine during weekly visits from Johnson. The show leveraged Johnson’s reputation for intense and direct performances in a prerecorded sketch titled “Mean, Scary Girlfriend.” Swift returned near the end of the night to present Johnson with a blue-and-white birthday cake as she closed the show.