Saturday Night Live’ Mocks Kristi Noem’s Exit From DHS in Cold Open Sketch

Mar 8, 2026

Saturday Night Live opened its latest episode with a political satire sketch targeting the recent departure of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from the administration of Donald Trump.

In the cold

open, cast member Ashley Padilla portrayed Noem in a mock press conference announcing her departure. The character joked, “I just want to make it clear that I didn’t get fired. I self-deported,” a line that drew laughter from the studio audience.

The sketch also included several references to controversies associated with Noem, including a widely discussed anecdote from her 2024 memoir involving a family dog. The scripted version of Noem joked about having “no regrets” about her time leading the United States Department of Homeland Security.

During the segment, the fictionalized Noem character also referenced how the dismissal was announced via Truth Social, the social media platform used by Trump. In the sketch, the president humorously “reassigned” her to a fictional diplomatic role.

The cold open began with Colin Jost portraying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, delivering a comedic explanation of U.S. tensions with Iran. In the sketch, Jost’s Hegseth compared the geopolitical situation to a “situationship,” using exaggerated analogies to poke fun at how conflicts are sometimes described in political rhetoric.

“SNL,” known for its long tradition of political satire, frequently features sketches that parody current political events and public figures across the political spectrum.

The episode’s opening segment quickly circulated on social media after broadcast, adding to ongoing public debate surrounding Noem’s departure and broader developments within the administration.

UN Security Council Clashes Over Resolution Demanding Iran Halt Gulf Attacks The United Nations Security Council approved a new resolution on March 11 calling on Iran to immediately stop attacks against several Gulf nations. The measure passed with 13 votes in favor and two abstentions, highlighting growing international concern about escalating tensions in the Middle East and the potential impact on global stability and energy security. The resolution specifically demands that Iran halt all military actions targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. It also condemns any attempts by Tehran to block or interfere with international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route for global oil supplies. Bahrain introduced the resolution with strong international backing from 135 countries. Bahrain’s ambassador to the United Nations, Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, told the Security Council that stability in the Gulf is essential not only for regional peace but also for the health of the global economy and international energy markets. The United States strongly supported the resolution, arguing that Iran’s actions threaten both regional security and international trade. U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said Tehran’s strategy of destabilizing its neighbors had backfired and that the overwhelming vote demonstrated broad global condemnation of Iran’s military operations. However, the resolution sparked sharp disagreement among major powers. Russia and China abstained from the vote, criticizing the document for focusing solely on Iran while ignoring what they described as hostile actions by the United States and Israel against Tehran in recent weeks. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Saeid Iravani, rejected the resolution outright, calling it a clear injustice against his country. He accused the Security Council of misusing its authority to advance the political agenda of Washington and Tel Aviv while ignoring Iran’s own security concerns. The confrontation comes after a dramatic escalation on February 28, when coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with several senior Iranian officials. The attack triggered a wave of retaliation from Tehran across the region. Since then, Iran has launched multiple retaliatory strikes targeting U.S. and allied facilities throughout the Middle East. The growing cycle of attack and counterattack has raised fears that the conflict could expand further, threatening regional stability and key global energy routes in the Gulf.