SNL Cold Open Mocks Trump on Iran Gas Price Spike

Saturday Night Live kicked off its latest episode with a satirical cold open that lampooned former President Donald Trump and the economic fallout from the ongoing conflict with Iran, centering on a family's struggle with soaring gas prices at a roadside station.

The March 14 broadcast, hosted by singer Harry Styles from NBC's Studio 8H in New York City, opened with cast members Mikey Day, Ashley Padilla, Marcello Hernández, and Sarah Sherman portraying a family on a road trip. As they faced a pump showing prices above $5 per gallon, the mother character, played by Padilla, suggested they might have to leave one child behind to afford the fill-up. The scene highlighted the real-world spike in fuel costs, which the American Automobile Association reported averaged $3.60 nationally that week, driven by military tensions in the Middle East.

James Austin Johnson then appeared as Trump, interrupting the family's dilemma with a stream-of-consciousness monologue. "Hi, it's me, Donald Trump," he said in character. "You might remember me from such campaign promises as lower gas prices and no more wars. Psych! We love to make promises, because a promise is just a lie that hasn't happened...