‘Homophobes dressed gay…’: James Austin Johnson's Trump celebrates Easter on SNL

James Austin Johnson, playing President Donald Trump at Saturday Night Live this week, went on an Easter rant

Published on: Apr 13, 2025, 10:16:53 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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James Austin Johnson, playing President Donald Trump at Saturday Night Live this week, went on an Easter rant - covering the stock market crash, egg prices and even the 78-year-old's physical exam - in his cold open. Mikey Day played Jesus Christ in the opening of the new episode, which was hosted by Jon Hamm and Lizzo.

James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump in this week's SNL (X/SNL)

“You know, many people are even calling me the Messiah — because of the mess I, ah, made out of the economy,” Johnson as Trump said. "Or because of my beautiful tariffs — so beautiful — they were working so well that I had to stop them.”

He was referring to President Trump's reciprocal tariffs and the stock market crash that followed the ‘Liberation Day’.

The actor then moved on to Easter and Passover.

“Today is the first day of Passover for our Jewish friends, and we call it Passover because it’s when we pass right over the little kosher section in the grocery store. We go straight to that Easter candy. Fish in a jar? No thanks, I want a Peep.”

Speaking about Easter, which will be next week, Austin Johnson's Trump made a joke about the day having ‘the most homophobic people dress as gay as possible’.

Next was an egg joke.

“We love Easter. We love bunny. We love hunting for eggs — just like everyone’s doing in the grocery store right now, because they cost a billion, trillion dollars. But I thought that was what the whole campaign was about, but I just can’t crack it. Egg joke, here we go.”

“We are looking forward to Easter Mass, definitely. Easter Mass is always packed, right? You know, it’s sad. Some people only go to church on Christmas and Easter. Not me. I don’t go on those days either.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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