'SNL' pokes holes in Melania's Epstein denial with biting cold open
WASHINGTON, DC: 'Saturday Night Live' opened its latest episode on Saturday, April 11, by zeroing in on Melania Trump's recent denial of any links to Jeffrey Epstein and quickly turned it into a moment of biting sarcasm.
The show didn’t just reference her statement; it built an entire sequence around the idea that such a denial, delivered the way it was, might end up doing more harm than good.
Trump makes some urgent phone calls from the Oval Office pic.twitter.com/UtBjQYrxyo
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) April 12, 2026
'SNL' mocks Melania Trump's Epstein press conference
The sketch begins with a parody of Donald Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, interacting with Ashley Padilla's Karoline Leavitt, preparing Trump's "end of civilization" post against Iran.
But the scene shifts quickly as Trump's phone rings.
“Who’s this? I don’t recognize the number,” he says, answering the call.
On the other end: Melania, played by Chloe Fineman.
“You’re calling me? That’s not a good sign,” he adds, already sounding wary.
What follows is the core of the sketch. The Melania character explains she wants to hold a press conference to firmly deny any connection to Epstein.
Trump isn’t convinced.
“Uh, darling, I gotta admit, this sounds a little insane. Who are you? Me?” he responds, confused at both the idea and the execution.
Instead of backing off, she escalates it, suggesting she could deny even more unrelated accusations to make her case stronger.
“I thought I could also say, ‘I, Melania Trump, in no way, helped out the Gilgo Beach killer.’ That way, no one is suspicious,” she adds.
That’s where the sketch lands its sharpest blow.
“Darling, I think that’s gonna make everyone way more suspicious,” Trump shoots back, cutting straight through the logic.
'SNL' aims at Trump's Iran war
The cold open keeps the same rhythm of sarcasm and exaggeration even after the call ends.
Trump abruptly hangs up and dials Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth played by Colin Jost, whose ringtone blares 'All-Star' by Smash Mouth.
When asked about Iran, the parody Hegseth responds with a shrugging punchline, “Iran is as obliterated as me every Saturday night, allegedly.”
The sketch also takes aim at ongoing negotiations, bringing in Vice President JD Vance as a punchline.
“After those Iranians spend 20 hours talking to JD, they said, ‘Please, sir, just go back to bombing us,’” Trump jokes.
The sketch draws from Melania Trump’s real-life remarks earlier this week, when she publicly rejected any connection to Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.
NOW - Melania: "To be clear, I never had relations with Epstein or his accomplice Maxwell."
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) April 9, 2026
"I never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time."
"Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by… pic.twitter.com/xGURho306b
Speaking from the White House, she said she “never had a relationship” with either and dismissed circulating claims as “fake images and statements,” accusing unnamed individuals of spreading “false smears” to damage her reputation.
