Donald Trump tries to get around impeachment with a little help from his friends in an SNL cold open. (Photo: SNL/ScreenCap)
Alec Baldwin swore he was done with Donald Trump impressions, but hey, impeachment brings out the best in everybody. The actor returned to “Saturday Night Live” last night for a hilarious cold open. The Donald never looked better–or worse.
Trump is in deep doo-doo over his blatant attempt to coerce a foreign government, in this case Ukraine, to meddle in the 2020 election.
Right, he just went through a two-year investigation for the alleged involvement of his 2016 campaign in a conspiracy with Russian-backed operatives to aid his election.
The probe, by special counsel Robert Mueller, found evidence of collusion, but not enough to rise to the level of a criminal conspiracy.
But that won’t be a problem in this case.
A whistle blower stepped forward last week we detailed allegations that Trump withheld desperately needed military aid to the Ukraine, while he asked newly elected president Volodymyr Zelensky for a “favor.”
Dig up or make up dirt on Trump’s top 2020 political rival Joe Biden.
At least part of the evidence hinged on a July 25 telephone call. In the ensuing uproar Trump was forced to release a partial transcript of the conversation. It clearly showed, what by any legal definition, was a quid pro quo: Military aid for dirt on Biden.
The news broke a logjam in the House of Representatives leading House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to fast-track a formal impeachment inquiry, support by 225 Democrats and a scattering of Republicans.
The SNL skit picks up there. Trump (Baldwin) frantically dials cronies seeking advice on how to handle the problem.
His first call is to his new lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Kate McKinnon stole the skit as Trump’s the fumbling fixer.
“Oh, hey, Mr. Trump, what’s new?” Giuliani says into his cell phone.
“What do you mean, ‘What’s new?’ Rudy. I’m being impeached,” Trump responds. “It’s the greatest presidential harassment of all time.”
“You can relax, Mr. Trump. Nobody’s going to find out about our illegal side-dealings with the Ukraine,” Rudy assures him. “Or how we tried to cover up those side dealings. Or, how we plan to cover up the cover-up.”
“Rudy, Rudy, where are you right now?” Trump asks.
The camera pulls back. “I’m on CNN, right now,” Giuliani sneers.
It went downhill from there.
Next was Attorney General Bill Barr, who has been implicated in the wrong-doing by the whistleblower.
Aidy Bryant plays the portly co-conspirator.
“Bill you know I’m going to need somebody to take the blame for this,” Trump says.
“But where are you gonna find a sacrificial patsy that will do anything you say? Not it,” says Barr.
Fortunately, Trump has somebody on his speed dial–Vice President Mike Pence, played once again by Beck Bennett.
Sons Donald Jr. (the smart one, Alex Moffat) and Eric (the dumb one Mikey Day) are next.
Trump says in an aside to Don Jr.: “By the way, did you take care of that thing in Russia?”
“What thing in Russia?” Don Jr. smirks.
“The treason!” Eric chimes in. D’oh!
Bowen Yang pops on the line as North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Kim advises Trump to handle the whistleblower like they do in the Hermit Kingdom. Send him to the bottom of the ocean.
“I wish my country was as cool as your country,” Trump opines
But it only gets better from there. Chris Redd appears as Kanye West with another scene-stealing performance.
“I don’t think we can be fam, no mo’ fam,” Kanye says before handing over the phone to empresario Don King. He tells Trump he’s no longer good for the brand.
“Oh… don’t abandon me now, I need my urbans,” Trump pleads. “Kanye, just tell me who you want me to let out of prison, this time?”
But leave it to Judge Jeanine Pirro to lift Trump out of his funk. Cecily Strong tries to rally the president as the sycophantic Fox News commentator.
But Trump gets really desperate, and turns to a hitman. Well, not a real hitman, but an actor who plays one in a movie. See who made a special guest appearance in the video below.