Saturday Night Live under fire over ‘sick’ joke about Donald Donald Trump, You Won’t Believe What He Said

Saturday Night Live is facing criticism after it aired a joke about assassinating Donald Trump, nearly two years after he survived an attempt on his life.

The show, which has been on air since 1975 and helped launch stars like Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, and Kate McKinnon, returned as usual over the weekend. During the “Weekend Update” segment, Michael Che made a comment about Trump attending the opening night of the musical Chicago at the Kennedy Center.

Che said it was nice to see the president going to the theatre, then added, “What’s the worst that can happen?” Many viewers quickly understood the reference. It appeared to point to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, who was shot in a theatre in 1865 while watching a play.

The joke sparked strong reactions online. Some people said it took them a moment to understand the reference, while others were angry and called the joke inappropriate. A few viewers said the audience didn’t just laugh, but actually cheered, which made it feel worse to them. Even people who said they don’t support Trump felt the joke went too far.

The backlash was even stronger because Trump has already been targeted before. In July 2024, during a rally in Pennsylvania, a gunman opened fire while Trump was speaking. He was hit and quickly taken off stage by security. Blood was seen on his face and ear, and in the middle of the chaos, he was heard asking for his shoes.

There were also reports earlier this year about another alleged plot against him, involving a group linked to Iran. US officials said the leader of that group was later killed by American forces.

Because of these past incidents, many people felt the joke was in poor taste. Some said it was shocking that anyone would joke about something so serious, especially when the president has already faced real danger.

The original reference in the joke goes back to Abraham Lincoln, who was killed while watching a play at Ford’s Theatre. During the performance, actor John Wilkes Booth entered the president’s box and shot him. Lincoln died shortly after, and Vice President Andrew Johnson became president.

After the SNL episode, many viewers said joking about a president being killed in a similar way was upsetting and crossed a line.