Saturday Night Live’s latest cold open took aim at recent political headlines, centering on a fictional Oval Office meeting between former President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and tech billionaire Elon Musk. The sketch, which aired on March 8, featured James Austin Johnson as Trump, Marcello Hernandez as Rubio, and a surprise appearance from Mike Myers reprising his role as Musk.
The sketch followed reports of a tense cabinet meeting where Musk and Rubio reportedly clashed. Johnson’s Trump attempted to mediate, urging Rubio to cooperate with Musk, whom he had granted substantial government access. “I need you to be my good little Marco,” Trump told his Secretary of State. Rubio hesitated before replying, “If you think I’m going to stand here and let you call me that… You’re right!”
Rubio then briefed Trump on his efforts to retake the Panama Canal, an initiative Trump dismissed as a hassle. Instead, the former president expressed interest in Thailand, referencing his fondness for HBO’s The White Lotus. “How about the girl with the teeth?” he asked, drawing laughter from the fictional meeting.
When Myers’ Musk entered the scene, the balance of power shifted. The sketch portrayed Musk as both calculating and overwhelmed, delivering an internal monologue that reflected his growing concerns about public perception. “Phase one of my plan is complete: Ingratiate yourself to the president and take over the media,” Myers said in voiceover. “But was taking this job a bad idea? A lot of people seem to really hate me, like Tesla’s stock is crashing, and my personal net worth just dropped by $100 billion.”
Rubio questioned Musk’s role in government affairs, pointing out that “planes are crashing, and he keeps trying to fire air traffic control.” In response, Trump defended Musk’s qualifications: “He runs SpaceX, which is doing incredible things in terms of explosions, with regard to rocket debris.”
The back-and-forth escalated, leading Musk to mock Rubio’s credentials while Rubio fired back with jabs about Musk’s personal life. “How do you have 20 kids? But I’ve never seen you with a chick, just dudes named Donkey Dog and Boner King,” Rubio quipped.
Trump attempted to restore order, instructing Rubio to get his budget under control and telling Musk to “stay in his lane.” However, the dynamic shifted once more when Musk reminded Trump of the $300 million he had paid for political influence. “You’re not the boss, but I paid you $300 million, and that’s why you’re the boss,” Trump responded before abruptly exiting, referring to the Oval Office as Musk’s workspace.
