SNL’s March 1, 2025 Cold Open Trump, Zelenskyy, and the Wildest Cameo Yet

"Saturday Night Live" has long been the go-to source for sharp political satire, and the March 1, 2025 cold open proved once again why the show remains a cultural powerhouse. This week, SNL took aim at former President Donald Trump’s latest political moves, throwing him into a hilariously disastrous Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But what really made this sketch unforgettable? A surprise return from former SNL legend Mike Myers, portraying none other than tech billionaire Elon Musk.

With spot-on impressions, biting commentary, and absurd twists, this cold open had everything: political jabs, celebrity impersonations, and a dose of sheer chaos. Let’s break it all down.

   SNL’s March 1, 2025 Cold Open Trump, Zelenskyy, and the Wildest Cameo Yet

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The Setup: Trump Meets Zelenskyy

The sketch opened with a dramatic shot of the White House, setting the stage for what was supposed to be a diplomatic meeting between Donald Trump (played by James Austin Johnson) and Volodymyr Zelenskyy (played by Mikey Day). However, as expected, things didn’t exactly go smoothly.

Johnson’s Trump immediately launched into his signature rambling monologue, taking credit for “fixing Ukraine” and insisting that nobody—“not even Lincoln, maybe Reagan, but really, nobody”—had handled foreign policy as well as he had. Zelenskyy, looking visibly exhausted, attempted to speak, only to be interrupted multiple times by Trump’s bizarre tangents.

At one point, Trump reached into his desk and pulled out a “peace plan” written in crayon, proudly presenting it as “the greatest peace deal in the history of peace deals.” The camera zoomed in to reveal the words “Ukraine + Russia = Best Friends” scrawled across the page, accompanied by a doodle of Trump giving himself a thumbs-up.

Mikey Day’s Zelenskyy sighed, shook his head, and muttered, “At this point, I prefer negotiating with Putin.”

The audience erupted in laughter.

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J.D. Vance Joins the Chaos

Just when things seemed like they couldn’t get more ridiculous, in walked Vice President J.D. Vance, played by Bowen Yang. Vance, known for his shifting political allegiances, was depicted as an over-the-top sycophant, clapping enthusiastically at everything Trump said—no matter how nonsensical.

“Mr. President, this is genius,” Yang’s Vance gushed, pointing at the crayon-drawn peace plan. “I mean, it’s outside the box. It’s bigly!”

The sketch took several jabs at Vance’s recent political stances, including a moment where he mocked Zelenskyy’s now-iconic military green hoodie. “Look at this guy,” Vance scoffed. “Dressing like he’s about to drop a mixtape instead of leading a country.”

Zelenskyy, unimpressed, fired back: “Well, at least I do lead a country.”

The audience roared at the dig, which seemed to reference ongoing questions about Trump’s influence over his party.

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The Mike Myers Surprise—As Elon Musk

Just as the scene was reaching peak absurdity, the doors to the Oval Office burst open—and in walked Mike Myers, making his grand return to SNL as a completely unhinged version of Elon Musk.

Dressed in an all-black turtleneck and wielding a chainsaw (yes, a chainsaw), Myers’ Musk immediately stole the spotlight. The bizarre prop was a direct reference to Musk’s real-life stunt at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) earlier in the week, where he had entered the stage revving a chainsaw while ranting about censorship.

“Sorry I’m late,” Myers’ Musk announced, revving the chainsaw once for dramatic effect. “I was busy DESTROYING woke culture.”

The audience lost it.

Trump, completely unfazed, grinned and clapped. “Elon! The richest guy! You love me! You really love me!”

Musk nodded, still dramatically revving his chainsaw. “Of course, Donald. You’re my greatest experiment. I mean, supporter. Yeah, supporter.”

From there, Myers’ Musk went full parody mode, insisting that he was “the real president now” and bragging about his latest venture—a new social media platform called “MuskTok” that would allow only verified billionaires to post.

“The people want free speech,” Musk declared. “But mostly, they want ME to have free speech.”

Zelenskyy, now thoroughly done with the entire situation, turned to the camera and deadpanned: “I miss the days when world leaders were just boring.”

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The Grand Finale: Absurdity at Its Best

As the sketch reached its climax, Trump, Vance, and Musk began enthusiastically high-fiving each other over their supposed political genius. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy slowly backed away toward the door, clearly trying to find the nearest exit.

“You know, I think we really solved world peace today,” Trump declared proudly.

Musk nodded. “And I think I just bought Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy’s eyes widened in horror. “What?”

The screen cut to black.

The audience erupted into cheers, capping off one of SNL’s most memorable cold opens in recent history.

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Why This Cold Open Hit So Hard

SNL has always been at its best when it mixes political satire with celebrity impersonations, and this cold open was a masterclass in both. James Austin Johnson continues to perfect his eerily accurate Trump impression, while Bowen Yang’s take on J.D. Vance was both hilarious and scathing. But the real star of the night was Mike Myers, whose surprise return as a wildly exaggerated Elon Musk took the sketch from funny to unforgettable.

By referencing Musk’s real-life antics, Trump’s political ambitions, and the ongoing global tensions surrounding Ukraine, the writers managed to blend reality with absurdity in a way that felt timely and fresh. It was a perfect example of how SNL remains relevant, even in an ever-changing political landscape.

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Audience Reactions and Social Media Buzz

As expected, social media went wild over the sketch. Twitter (or rather, “MuskTok,” as Myers’ Musk called it) was flooded with reactions:

• “Mike Myers as Elon Musk just broke me. SNL is BACK.”
• “James Austin Johnson’s Trump impression keeps getting better and better. The crayon peace plan had me in tears.”
• “Bowen Yang’s J.D. Vance is too real. Too, too real.”
• “Zelenskyy deserves an honorary Emmy just for putting up with these clowns.”

Even celebrities chimed in, with some jokingly suggesting that Myers should host SNL again soon.

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Final Thoughts: A Cold Open to Remember

SNL’s March 1, 2025 cold open was the perfect mix of satire, celebrity impressions, and sheer ridiculousness. With James Austin Johnson’s Trump, Bowen Yang’s Vance, and Mike Myers’ scene-stealing return as Elon Musk, the sketch delivered some of the biggest laughs of the season.

Whether it was Trump’s crayon-drawn peace plan, Musk’s chainsaw-wielding entrance, or Zelenskyy’s weary one-liners, this cold open had something for everyone. And if nothing else, it reminded us why SNL still holds the crown when it comes to late-night political comedy.