Baldwin reprised his Trump impression for the start of what it likely another politically charged season.
Alec Baldwin isn’t done lampooning President Donald Trump.
Saturday Night Live came out swinging once again with a politically charged cold open that saw Baldwin return to the guest star role that earned him a lot of love last season as the show tried to catch up on all the Trump news they missed between seasons.
The sketch kicked things off with Trump making a call to Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he revealed that he didn't know Puerto Rico was a state, and then explained that "FEMA takes a few days unless you pay for FEMA Prime."
The sketch also reunited Baldwin with Kate McKinnon – only this time the Emmy-winning cast member didn't break out her acclaimed impression of Hillary Clinton, but instead brought out her brilliant Jeff Sessions impression.
When McKinnon played Sessions last season, she played him like an analog for Forrest Gump – bringing that energy (along with a smile like one of the Whos from Whoville), she presented an impish, playful Sessions who sat on Trump's lap like his son, and even gave Trump a kiss on the head after getting scolded.
While the sketch was a little all over the place (and considering how much ground they had to cover, it's not a surprise), the best point Baldwin's Trump made was when he explained the truth behind all the craziest scandals to come out of the White House in recent weeks.
"Trust me, it may sound like what is coming out of my mouth is B-A-N-A-N-A-S, but it's all part of the plan. The more chaos I cause, the less people can focus. They're all getting so tired," Trump explained to Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (played by Aidy Bryant). "Let me show you. How long ago did I declare war on North Korea and Little Rocket Man?"
"Um, four months?" Sanders replied.
"Wrong! It was last Friday! See?" Trump shot back.
After winning a score of Emmys and some of the best ratings in years for their election year season, it's no surprise that they're keeping that momentum going with the season premiere, but it was nice to see Baldwin come back – if not simply to spare us from having to watch the current cast parade their attempts at a new Trump impression.
Ryan Gosling hosted the season premiere, joined by musical guest JAY-Z.