In a humorous and timely start to its Easter episode, Saturday Night Live (SNL) took aim at U.S. President Donald Trump and his controversial management of the nation's economy, utilizing biblical references to lampoon his unpredictable tariff policies. The sketch opened with a fresh take on the biblical story known as the Cleansing of the Temple, featuring cast member Mikey Day as Jesus, who fervently declared, I will rid this place of all its money, while clearing out merchants from the temple.

The scene took a comedic twist when James Austin Johnson entered the scene portraying Trump. He humorously introduced himself as your favorite president, Donald Jesus Trump, drawing ludicrous parallels between himself and the Messiah. Many people are calling me the Messiah, he proclaimed, adding with apparent irony, because of the mess I, uh, made out of the economy. This clever blending of sharp political satire and biblical parody positioned Trump as an unexpected savior of the economic landscape he has significantly influenced.

As the sketch progressed, it poked fun at Trump's tariff policies, which have recently contributed to substantial fluctuations in the stock market. Johnson's Trump character joked about his beautiful tariffs being so successful that he had to halt them, quipping, I said let me cook, and then I burned dinner badly so we had to stop. He continued, Now, everything is back exactly how it was, minus a few trillion dollars and a historic transfer of wealth from the middle class to my buddies. This line underscored a central critique of how Trump's financial decisions have affected everyday Americans.

Recent months have seen Trump's unpredictable trade tactics lead to significant swings in the financial markets. The three major stock indexes experienced a surge after he paused new tariffs, only to plunge again with a renewed focus on trade issues with China. In a reflective moment, Johnson's Trump quipped, The stock market did a Jesus. It died, then on the third day it was risen, and then on the fourth day it died again, possibly never to return, just like Jesus.

Adding to the Easter theme, Johnson referenced everyday Americans' financial woes, saying, We look at our 401K and say, Jesus Christ, where did it all go? I dont know, but were gonna fix that. Or not. Well see. This blend of humor with serious undertones resonated with viewers aware of their own financial uncertainties.

As reported by The Hill, Johnson did not shy away from criticizing Trumps associates who may have gained from the market instability, presenting the situation as a historic transfer of wealth from the middle class to my buddies. This criticism was coupled with mockery of Trumps seemingly superficial religious connections, as Johnson humorously proclaimed, We must never mix religion with commerce. He then playfully promoted a fictional Trump Bible, supposedly manufactured in America and priced at $1,300, comically noting that it falls apart even faster.

The episode, which was hosted by Jon Hamm and featured musical guest Lizzo, aimed its satire not only at the political landscape but also at the escalating cost of living. One particularly humorous line highlighted this absurdity: viewers were depicted as hunting for eggs in the grocery store because they cost a trillion, billion dollars. This pointed commentary served to underline the shared frustrations many Americans feel in these challenging economic times.

SNL airs on NBC, which is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News, highlighting the interconnectedness of media and political commentary in today's landscape.