By Jessica Wedemeyer
3:15am PDT, Apr 6, 2025
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Join us as we take a look back at some of the stars who've memorably portrayed political figures on Saturday Night Live over the years, starting with this funnyman…James Austin Johnson had the audience roaring with laughter
when his Donald Trump announced the Unites States' plan to "do MAGDA" during the cold open on the April 5, 2025, episode of "Saturday Night Live." Said the comedian as the president, "We're gonna do MAGDA. MAGDA — Make America Great Depression Again. It'll be great. It'll be better than great. It'll be a fantastic, unbelievable depression, the likes of which you've never seen before. … You know, this depression is gonna be so great, we'll be the ones eating the cats and the dogs. That's gonna be fun."
He went on to defend
the wildly unpopular tariffs he launched just a few days earlier on "Liberation Day" and then struggled to pronounce the word "groceries," which he described as "
an old-fashioned term."
Keep reading to see more politicians or presidents on NBC's "SNL"...
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The cold open on the March 8, 2025, episode of "Saturday Night Live" saw James Austin Johnson's President Donald Trump attempting to broker peace between United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Marcello Hernandez) and Elon Musk (former
SNL cast member Mike Myers) following
a headline-making altercation during a Cabinet meeting earlier that week. The sketch (watch it in full
here) saw each of the men disassociating as the others were speaking. Rubio tuned out after Trump reminded him that he'd just made English the country's official language: "So now your name is Mark Ruby," Trump said, later adding that Rubio was "the GOAT …
the scapegoat, [which is] still a type of goat." Trump also seemingly broke Rubio by noting that he didn't
want the Panama Canal anymore after setting his sights on Thailand due to his interest in the TV show "The White Lotus."
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Cecily Strong portrayed Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Chloe Fineman portrayed Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado — the controversy-sparking and gun-loving politician who made headlines in May 2023 when she confirmed she was divorcing her husband of 18 years — in the cold open on the Dec. 11, 2021, episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
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In 2017, Alec Baldwin won an Emmy for his portrayal of President Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live." He scored another nomination for his work as the reality star-turned-politician in 2018.
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Sarah Sherman played Sen. Chuck Schumer and Chloe Fineman played Rep. Nancy Pelosi during the Jan. 6th Final Hearing Cold Open on the Oct. 15, 2022, episode of "Saturday Night Live."
MORE: Legendary "Saturday Night Live" alums
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Iconic! In 2009, Tina Fey won an Emmy for portraying then-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live." The conservative politician — who was the Republican nominee for vice president in 2008 — even stopped by the set to watch the comedian in action. She was pictured hanging out backstage with "SNL" boss Lorne Michaels as Tina did her thing in October 2008 — mere weeks before the election.
MORE: Everyone who's anchored "Weekend Update" on "SNL" over the decades
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The Hillary Clinton to her Sarah Palin! Tina Fey's longtime pal and collaborator Amy Poehler has portrayed Hillary Clinton on "Saturday Night Live" more than any other actress. In September 2008, the duo teamed up to bring two of the most iconic women in politics to the small screen. Around that time, Amy scored two Emmy nominations for her work on "SNL."
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The incomparable Kate McKinnon — who left "Saturday Night Live" in May 2022 after 10 seasons, during which she expertly parodied many different politicians — delivered laughs with her portrayal of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in his capacity as President Donald Trump's personal attorney in 2020. The Emmy winner is seen here during the "Michigan Hearings" cold open on the Dec. 5, 2020, episode of "SNL."
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Former South Carolina governor and United Nation ambassador Nikki Haley made a surprise appearance as herself in the cold open sketch on the Feb. 3, 2024, episode of "Saturday Night live," which saw her going toe-to-toe with comedian James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump. (The CNN Trump Town Hall-themed bit also featured "SNL" stars Punkie Johnson as Gayle King, Kenan Thompson as Charles Barkley and Devon Walker as Republican South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who endorsed Trump after he suspended his own presidential campaign in late 2023.)
Following her introduction as "a concerned South Carolina voter," Haley asked "Trump" her first question: "Why won't you debate Nikki Haley?" After he called her Nancy Pelosi, she fired back, "Are you doing OK, Donald? You might need a mental competency test." She then poked at Trump's then-ongoing (and
extremely expensive) legal issues: "You spent $50 million on your own legal fees. Do you need to borrow some money?" She also teased Trump, "Did you win your home state in the last election?" And when he combined her name with "The Sixth Sense" star Haley Joel Osment's and said he sees dead people, she replied by slamming the fact that both Trump and President Joe Biden were senior citizens, quipping, "That's what voters will say if they see you and Joe on the ballot."
The sketch ended with the episode's host, "The Bear" star Ayo Edebiri, asking Haley, "I was just curious: What would you say was the main cause of the Civil War and do you think it starts with an 's' and ends with a 'lavery.'"
Said the prominent Republican and presidential candidate, "Yes, I probably should've said that the first time."
Haley drew heat back in late 2023 when she was asked about the Civil War during a New Hampshire town hall and said it was the result of people disagreeing over "the freedoms of what people could and couldn't do" but failed to mention slavery as a cause.
MORE:
"Saturday Night Live" stars of the '80s: Where are they now?
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Bowen Yang portrayed ousted Congressman George Santos in the hilarious "George Santos Expelled" cold open — during which the disgraced politician sang his own special version of Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" — on a December 2023 episode of "Saturday Night Live."
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During the "Saturday Night Live" season 47 "Biden Unites Democrats" cold open on Oct. 2, 2021, new "SNL" cast member James Austin Johnson introduced viewers to his version of President Joe Biden. Pre-"SNL," James was best known for the viral videos in which he impersonated President Donald Trump. Rounding out the in-the-news politicians that night? Aidy Bryant as Senator Joe Manchin, Cecily Strong as Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Pete Davidson as former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Ego Nwodim as Representative Ilhan Omar and Melissa Villaseñor as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
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During the "Republican Debate" cold open on the Nov. 11, 2023, episode of "Saturday Night Live," cast members took on the politicians who participated in the third GOP debate ahead of the 2024 presidential election: Molly Kearney was former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; Heidi Gardner was former South Carolina Governor and Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley; John Higgins was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis; Ego Nwodim was businessman-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy and Devon Walker was South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
Keep reading to see the cast member who crashed the party as President Donald Trump…
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During the "Republican Debate" cold open on the Nov. 11, 2023, episode of "Saturday Night Live," former President Donald Trump — perfectly played by cast member James Austin Johnson — showed up to mock the GOP politicians participating in the third Republican debate ahead of the 2024 primary.
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Kate McKinnon's talent knows no bounds! She memorably portrayed former secretary of state and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for years opposite Alec Baldwin's Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live," including here in 2016.
Around the time the former FLOTUS ran for president, Kate won two Emmys for her work on "SNL."
But HRC isn't the only famous woman in politics whom the comedian has impersonated on the long-running sketch-comedy show…
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Kate McKinnon also portrayed Senator Elizabeth Warren on "Saturday Night Live." She even got the stamp of approval from the progressive Democrat, who appeared alongside the comedian on "SNL" in early 2020 amid her run for president.
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Kate McKinnon has worn many political hats on "SNL." The Emmy winner portrayed Rep. Liz Cheney alongside "Weekend Update" anchor Colin Jost on "Saturday Night Live" in May 2021.
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Bowen Yang did a hilarious impression of notorious liar and Republican Congressman George Santos opposite fellow cast members Marcello Hernandez as Mario Lopez and Heidi Gardner as "either Maria Menounos or Kit Hoover, they haven't told me yet" during the Academy Awards red carpet-themed cold open on a March 2023 episode of "Saturday Night Live."
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The Dec. 17, 2022, episode of "Saturday Night Live" took on Donald Trump's Christmas NFT collection announcement. James Austin Johnson portrayed the former president while Mikey Day popped in as Donald Trump Jr. and Cecily Strong — in her final episode as a cast member — got loud to portray Don Jr.'s then-fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle.
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James Austin Johnson portrayed Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell alongside Kenan Thompson as former professional football player Herschel Walker — the Republican challenger in Georgia's 2022 Senate runoff who ultimately lost his race — in the cold open segment on the Dec. 3, 2022, episode of "Saturday Night Live."
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Mikey Day played Rep. Jamie Raskin, Kenan Thompson played Rep. Bennie Thompson and Heidi Gardner played Rep. Liz Cheney during the Jan. 6th Final Hearing Cold Open on the Oct. 15, 2022, episode of "Saturday Night Live."
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Cecily Strong portrayed Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney during the "Republican or Not?" sketch on the Nov. 20, 2021, episode of "Saturday Night Live."
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James Austin Johnson played former president Donald Trump opposite Bowen Yang's Easter Bunny during the "Easter Wishes Cold Open" on an April 2022 episode of "Saturday Night Live."
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Three actors played Joe Biden in one sketch in 2021: Cast member Alex Moffat (left) played a version of Biden from March 2021, guest host Jason Sudeikis (center) played "the ghost of Biden past" from eight years earlier when he was vice president, and cast member James Austin Johnson (right) played the October 2021 version of Biden during the "Biden Meeting" cold open on the Oct. 23, 2021, episode of "SNL."
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"Ted Lasso" star Jason Sudeikis left "Saturday Night Live" in 2013 after 10 seasons on the show, but he's returned several times since then to portray former VP-turned-President Joe Biden (pictured in 2008) as well as another politician: Republican Senator Mitt Romney.
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"Saturday Night Live" scored comedy legend Jim Carrey to play former vice president-turned-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for six weeks surrounding the 2020 presidential election, and Emmy-winning comedy star Maya Rudolph joined him to play Joe's vice presidential running mate, Kamala Harris. They're seen here in a sketch that aired on the Oct. 31, 2020, episode of "SNL" days before Joe and Kamala won the election.
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Comedy. Gold.
Will Ferrell unforgettably portrayed President George W. Bush on "Saturday Night Live" during his time as a main cast member in the early 2000s. (He's seen here opposite Dean Edwards as Secretary of State Colin Powell, Seth Meyers as General Richard Myers and Maya Rudolph as National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice.) Around that time, he scored an Emmy nomination for his work on "SNL."
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Here's a better look at Will Ferrell when he brought the laughs with his take on President George W. Bush. He's seen here as the POTUS in the "Guccione Peace Plan" skit that aired in April 2002.
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Beck Bennett portrayed Senator Mitch McConnell on "Saturday Night Live" when the Kentucky Republican served as Senate majority leader. Beck, seen here in 2020, also brought Vice President Mike Pence to life on the NBC sketch-comedy show — see that next…
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On the Dec. 19, 2020, episode of "SNL," cast member Alex Moffat debuted his take on then-President-elect Joe Biden with an able assist from repeat guest star Maya Rudolph as then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. (Maya won an Emmy for her work as the former senator on "SNL" the previous season.) Cast member Beck Bennett also killed it as Vice President Mike Pence in the "Pence Gets The Vaccine" cold open that night.
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Cast member James Austin Johnson played President Joe Biden, who was urging Americans to "stop seeing 'Spider-Man'" to curb coronavirus outbreaks when he got a visit from Pete Davidson — who played a tattooed and shirtless Joe Biden from an alternate universe — during the Marvel multiverse-skewering "Message from the President" cold open sketch on "Saturday Night Live" on Jan. 15, 2022.
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The late Phil Hartman was the first person to play President Bill Clinton on "Saturday Night Live." He portrayed the saxophone-playing politician in the early '90s until he left "SNL" in 1994 — the same year he scored his first Emmy nomination for his acting on the sketch-comedy show.
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After Phil Hartman left "Saturday Night Live," Darrell Hammond took over as President Bill Clinton. He's portrayed the politician ever since — even though he hasn't served as a main cast member since 2009. (Yep, Darrell even portrayed Slick Willie on season 45 of "SNL" in early 2020.)
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Cast member Chris Redd portrayed New York City's newest mayor, swagger-obsessed Eric Adams, in a hilarious press conference sketch on the Jan. 15, 2022, episode of "Saturday Night Live."
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James Austin Johnson played President Joe Biden alongside fellow comedian Ego Nwodim, who portrayed then-newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson — the first Black female justice on the court ever — during the "KBJ Confirmation Cold Open" that aired on "SNL" on April 9, 2022.
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On the Feb. 20, 2021, episode of "SNL," Pete Davidson played New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (in the midst of his COVID-19 nursing home death count scandal) while Aidy Bryant played Senator Ted Cruz (after he hightailed it back from an ill-advised trip to sunny Cancun, Mexico, while his Texas constituents coped with a deep-freeze crisis) opposite Chloe Fineman's Britney Spears during the show's apology-themed cold open.
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Aidy Bryant donned a wig and a fake beard to skewer Texas Senator Ted Cruz and his attack on "Sesame Street" character Big Bird for endorsing COVID-19 vaccinations during the "Ted Cruz Sesame Street" cold open on the Nov. 13, 2021, episode of "SNL." Also pictured in the sketch: Pete Davidson as controversy-sparking podcast host Joe Rogan, Kyle Mooney as Big Bird and Andrew Dismukes as a kid.
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Jay Pharoah portrayed President Barack Obama on "Saturday Night Live" until his tenure with the show came to an end in 2016.
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In a bit of casting that just wouldn't fly today, Fred Armisen portrayed President Barack Obama on "Saturday Night Live" during his time as a main cast member on the long-running sketch-comedy show. (He handed off the reins to Jay Pharoah in 2012.) Over the years, Fred has also portrayed President George H. W. Bush and onetime presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg.
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Larry David frequently brings the LOLs to "SNL" as Bernie Sanders. He started playing the Vermont senator on "Saturday Night Live" in 2015 — the first time the progressive politician ran for president. The "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star scored an Emmy nomination for his efforts. (The Bernie look-alike is pictured alongside Jason Sudeikis as Joe Biden and Rachel Dratch as Minnesota Senator and former presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar.)
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Dana Carvey portrayed President George H. W. Bush on "Saturday Night Live" for more than a decade between 1987 and 2000. He even won an Emmy in 1993 for his work as Papa Bush.
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In the late '70s, original "Saturday Night Live" cast member Chevy Chase memorably portrayed President Gerald Ford as an accident-prone klutz. The comedian won an Emmy in 1976 for his impersonation of Ford, who shot a cameo for "SNL" that very same year.
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Another original "Saturday Night Live" cast member who portrayed a president? Dan Aykroyd! The iconic comedian played Richard Nixon in the late '70s. He's pictured along with the late, great John Belushi as Nixon National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger.
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Kristen Wiig portrayed Nancy Pelosi on "Saturday Night Live" from 2006 to 2011. She left "SNL" the following year — after scoring her fourth Emmy nomination for her work on the long-running sketch-comedy show. (Kate McKinnon later portrayed the speaker of the house.)
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In 2020, co-head writer Colin Jost portrayed South Bend, Indiana, mayor and former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg on "Saturday Night Live."
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James Austin Johnson portrayed former President Donald Trump — who compared himself to Jesus — in the Last Supper-themed cold open sketch on the April 8, 2023, episode of "Saturday Night Live." After calling Jesus "a famous wonderful man arrested for no reason at all," James's Trump said, "If you haven't put it together, folks, I'm comparing myself to Jesus again. And what better time than on his birthday, Easter? As we speak, I am being persecuted on a level the likes of which the world has never seen — even worse than the late, great Jesus." He went on to call Jesus a "white American" and a "nepo baby." Of course, it wasn't the first time James skewered Trump on the long-running sketch-comedy show — keep reading for another of his biggest hits…
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Mikey Day played Donald Trump Jr. and James Austin Johnson played former President Donald Trump during the "Trump Indictment Cold Open" on "Saturday Night Live" on April Fool's Day 2023.
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During the Easter-themed cold open on the March 30, 2024, episode of "Saturday Night Live," cast member James Austin Johnson delivered another spot-on impression of President Donald Trump as he emerged from Christ's tomb and mocked the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee for — no joke —
hawking $60 Bibles during Holy Week.
