'SNL' cold open skewers Trump over midterms, James Talarico cameos

Key Points:

• "Saturday Night Live" opened its latest episode with a cold open parodying President Donald Trump's reaction to the Nov. 3 midterm elections, where Democrats gained control of both the Senate and House, widely seen as a repudiation of Trump.
• The sketch featured James Austin Johnson as Trump, alongside Sarah Sherman and Kenan Thompson as Democratic leaders celebrating their victory, and ended with a surprise cameo from Texas Senator-elect James Talarico, who humorously critiqued the show's repetitive Trump sketches.
• Trump’s character in the sketch acknowledged the GOP's losses without blaming rigging, expressed concern over defections, and hinted at potential future actions, while Colin Jost’s Pete Hegseth pledged loyalty despite the chaos.
• The episode was hosted by digital content creator Druski, marking a first for "SNL," and included a surprise appearance by Emma Stone during Druski’s monologue.
• On "Weekend Update," anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che joked about the midterm results, Trump's continued influence, and alluded to his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, while satirizing Republican leadership changes and the political landscape post-election.