“Saturday Night Live” pondered, much like various economists, whether President Donald Trump’s extraordinary global tariffs will drive the country into economic despair.
The sketch comedy program kicked off with a portrayal of Trump’s Rose Garden address on Wednesday, where he announced tariffs ranging from 10% to 54% on all imported products. These tariffs will be borne by U.S. importers, and economists have cautioned that this will result in increased prices for consumers.
The president contended that this action will revive manufacturing jobs, predominantly held by countries with lower labor costs.
SNL’s version of Trump, portrayed by James Austin Johnson, acknowledged that the method for determining the tariff rates on other nations is intricate, but he assured that it would lead to brighter days.
“I’m fully aware of what the numbers indicate, alright,” he declared. “They signify we’re going to Make America Wealthy Again — MAWA!”
However, recognizing that the nation will initially face tough challenges, Trump introduced a new slogan: Make America Great Depression Again.
“It’s going to be a fantastic, unbelievable depression,” he stated. “We’ll be the ones feasting on the cats and dogs. That’s going to be fun.”
He elaborated on how elevated costs and prices could foster a better economy: “It’s basic economics, alright: If the stock market keeps declining, that means there’s only one way to go — either up or maybe further down.”
Hope seemed to be a crucial aspect of this economic strategy. Johnson’s Trump remarked that at some point, “Your money might disappear and that’s perfectly fine. We’ll figure it out.”
Trump advisor Elon Musk, portrayed by Mike Myers, interrupted the speech to seek sympathy for his situation as CEO of Tesla. The company has faced market difficulties, protests, and vandalism, reportedly due to discontent with Musk’s role in slashing thousands of federal jobs at Trump’s insistence.
“All of a sudden, no one is fond of Tesla cars,” Myers’ Musk lamented. “I asked myself why. And I answered: because of me.”
He took the opportunity to unveil the Tesla Model V — “The first electric car in history to be fully self-vandalizing.” It features “AI-powered graffiti,” according to Musk.
Even in a world with such an innovation, the tech mogul speculated that those tariffs do not equate to good fortune.
“I’m very intelligent,” he proclaimed, “and these tariffs sound incredibly foolish.”
Jack Black hosted the episode, and Elton John and Brandi Carlile served as the musical guests.
“SNL” is broadcast on NBC, part of NBCUniversal, which also owns NBC News.
