“Saturday Night Live” took aim at President Donald Trump on the anniversary of his taking office by mocking the government shutdown, his first medical exam as president and reports of an alleged extramarital affair with an adult movie actress in 2006.
The episode kicked off with White House White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Aidy Bryant) speaking at a mock press briefing and wishing everyone a “Happy Women’s March.”
“A million women strong, out there to celebrate the president’s first kick-ass year in office,” Bryant’s Sanders said. “We did it, girls!”
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The quip referenced Trump’s tweet earlier Saturday on the march, telling women to get out and “celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months.”
Hundreds of thousands gathered nationwide Saturday in protest of Trump and his policies, and the president’s post drew swift backlash — including from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who Tweeted: “Who wants to tell him?”
The episode also took on the blame game between Republicans and Democrats over the government shutdown.
“If you want to blame somebody for the shutdown, blame Senator Chuck Schumer, hashtag ‘Schumer shutdown,'” Bryant’s Sanders said of the Senate Minority Leader. “Please let’s get it trending, guys.”
The hashtag #TrumpShutdown took off on Twitter after Friday’s midnight deadline on the shutdown passed.
Bryant’s Sanders then brought out White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson (Beck Bennett) to “come out here and tell you again about how not fat the president is.”
Bennett’s Jackson then gave a glowing health report for the president, saying “it’s my expert medical opinion that the president’s got a rockin’ bod.”
He added that Trump was given a cognitive exam at the president’s request and he, “passed it with flying colors — almost no hints.”
While reporters in the room proceed to ask Bennett’s Jackson questions, SNL actor Pete Davidson asks about the alleged sexual encounter between Trump and adult movie actress Stormy Daniels in 2006. (Trump’s lawyer has said the president denies any such relationship, and Daniels has denied it).
Bryant’s Sanders scolded the cast member, but Bennett’s Jackson says that while he couldn’t confirm the pair had relations but “I can tell you that if they did, she’s a lucky woman. OK, at his request, we also gave the president a sex exam, and he blew the doors off that sucker.”
Eventually, the exasperated White House press secretary tells reporters, “you heard the doctor, the president has passed very exam we gave him: physical exam, mental exam, the tide pod challenge — crushed it.”
Actor Jessica Chastain hosted for the first time, and musical act Troye Silvan also made its debut on the show.
Chastain used her monologue to draw attention to the Women’s March, saying “I wish I could have been there, marching alongside them” — then she was joined by cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong to sing “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore, with plenty of jokes thrown in.