Trump Busts In On Hegseth To Warn SNL In Brutal Cold Open: ‘Daddy’s Watching!’

Saturday Night Live opened its 51 season with a cold open in which their President Donald Trump cuts in on Pete Hegseth to warn the show that “Daddy’s watching!”

This week’s edition of Saturday Night Live marked the first episode of the sketch comedy mainstay’s 51st season. The host was Super Bowl splash-maker Bad Bunny, who became the first star in the history of the show to host after being the musical guest in the previous episode. It’s his second time hosting.

The musical guest was Doja Cat in her first SNL appearance.

The premiere marked the debut of new cast members Veronika Slowikowska, Jeremy Culhane, Tommy Brennan, Kam Patterson, and Please Don’t Destroy’s Ben Marshall. They join returning players Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Marcello Hernández, James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, and “Weekend Update” anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che.

Departing cast members include Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim.

Next week’s host will be SNL alum Amy Poehler, with Role Model as the musical guest. Sabrina Carpenter hosts and performs as musical guest on October 18.

The first order of business this season was the cold open, a long-running gag in which the show performs a parody — usually related to current events — that ends with performers breaking character and exclaiming “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

This week, Colin Jost made a rare appearance in the cold open as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in a send-up of his speech to military leaders this week.

But only to be interrupted by James Austin Johnson’s Trump, who swooped in to riff and weave — and warn the cast to behave because “Daddy’s watching!”

SNL PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Okay, I guess I’ll let them start the show. I see the crew’s all ready to go. By the way, thank you, SNL crew, for your hard work and your votes. You fellas are gonna keep an eye on Marcelo for me, right? Okay, good. Fantastic. Well, here we go. And remember, Daddy’s watching! And LIVE from New York, it’s Saturday Night!

Watch above via NBC’s Saturday Night Live.