SNL's Donald Trump compares himself to Jesus, favorably, in special Easter cold open

published 10 April 2023

Saturday Night Live opened its Holy Saturday show with a pretty straightforward re-enactment of the Last Supper, with Jesus Christ predicting his coming persecution and death on a cross. "Sound familiar?" freshly arrested former President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) asked, stepping in front of the tableau. "A famous wonderful man arrested for no reason at all. If you haven't put it together, folks, I'm comparing myself to Jesus again. And what better time than on his birthday, Easter?"

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SNL's Trump went on to compare Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) to Judas and said he would have been resurrected in two days, not three. "Now people are saying perhaps I'm even better that Jesus, because I'm a self-made billionaire and Christ was — let's call it what it is — a nepo-baby, okay?" he said. "I mean, his dad was God. It's pretty easy to start a religion when your dad is God. He did Good Friday, I said, Why not make it great? We could make it great. With me, we'll be doing Great Friday."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.