Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl

SNL 52 Cold Open: Trump Looks to Rubio, McConnell & Hegseth for Help

SNL Cold Open: GOP strategists look to Marco Rubio, Mitch McConnell, Pete Hegseth, and more to help Trump with the midterm elections.

NBC's Saturday Night Live kept Season 52 rolling tonight, with host Dakota Johnson (Verity) and musical guest Turnstile fronting the second show of the season. So what did SNL target with this week's cold open? We open at the RNC Headquarters, with Marcello Hernandez's Marco Rubio showing up to help Ashley Padilla and Andrew Dismuske's marketing strategists develop messaging for the midterm elections. Speaking in Spanish, Rubio makes it clear how he really feels about Trump. Meanwhile, Jeremy Culhane's VP JD Vance was on hand to help call in the next person (they were passing on Vance doing a promo after a two-second effort). Mikey Day's Mitch McConnell was as out of it as you would expect – you really have to see it to appreciate it (with his attempt to hit the "Live from New York…" line early a nice touch).

That left it to Colin Jost's Pete Hegseth to cut a dudebro promo to get voters out – mocking the real Hegseth's creepy thing from earlier this week (the beat poetry with the bongos was the nice part). Of course, Trump (James Austin Johnson) couldn't stay out of the festivities, offering to pay voters $ 5,000 if they vote for Republicans in the fall, noting that he wasn't afraid of being accused of bribery because he never plans to pay. Before hitting the famous line, Padilla and Andrew Dismuske's marketing strategists ask Trump to cut promos for the GOP if they win and if they lose the midterms. Surprise! Surprise! They're the same message – and it doesn't sound like he plans on losing.

the Republican National Committee takes on midterm ad campaigns pic.twitter.com/6xn5F75XT1

— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) October 4, 2026

NBC's Saturday Night Live: A Look at SNL 52

NBC's Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase Saturday Night Live returns in fall 2026 for its 52nd season of laughs, surprises, and standout performances. Since its inception in 1975, SNL has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. SNL makes headlines with topical humor that reflects politics and current events, features an array of characters with an unparalleled perspective on pop culture, and offers sharp political commentary through its signature "Weekend Update" segment. A variety show that is truly one of a kind, SNL also attracts the biggest music stars to its stage for innovative, viral performances.

SNL Season 52 Main Players: Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernández, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Ashley Padilla, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Jane Wickline.

SNL Season 52 Featured Players: Saidah Belo-Osagie, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, Grace Reiter, and Veronika Slowikowska.

SNL Season 52 Head Writers: Alison Gates, Erik Kenward, Streeter Seidell, and Kent Sublette.

SNL Season 52 Senior Writer: Bryan Tucker

SNL Season 52 Supervising Writers: Dan Bulla, Jake Nordwind, and Will Stephen.

SNL Season 52 Writers: Bam Alston, Jack Bensinger, Michael Che, Mike DiCenzo, Tucker Flodman, Jimmy Fowlie, Maxwell Gay, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Allie Levitan, Claire McFadden, Lorne Michaels, Ceara O'Sullivan, Moss Perricone, Chase Rosenberg, Jo Sunday, Carl Tart, Asha Ward, and Maddie Wiener.

SNL Season 52 "Weekend Update" Head Writer: Pete Schultz

SNL Season 52 "Weekend Update" Writers & Producers: Megan Callahan-Shah, Dennis McNicholas, Josh Patten, KC Shornima, and Scott Weinstein.

SNL Season 52 Head of Talent Department: Keri Powers, who was promoted to lead the team responsible for host, musical guest, and guest star bookings.

SNL Season 52 Producer: Rebecca Schwartz, who was promoted for her efforts in supporting the show's cast and production team.

Standing as the most Emmy-winning show in history, with 115+ wins (including awards for its specials and short-form series), the long-running series has been honored four times with the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award and was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The show continues to garner the highest ratings and largest audience of any late-night television program, entertaining millions each week on linear and digital platforms.

NBC's Saturday Night Live, which premiered Oct. 11, 1975, broadcasts live from NBC's famed Studio 8H in New York City's Rockefeller Center. The program is a production of Broadway Video in association with SNL Studios. Lorne Michaels is the executive producer.

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