SNL Cold Open Mocks Trump, Mentions Alex Jeffrey Pretti Shooting
SNL's Jan. 24, 2026 cold open mocked President Trump while briefly referencing the Minneapolis shooting that killed ICU nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti.
Overview
Saturday Night Live's Jan. 24, 2026 cold open staged a Trump-themed "awards" sketch that briefly referenced the Minneapolis shooting that killed 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti, according to the Jan. 24 broadcast.
The sketch was led by James Austin Johnson's impersonation of President Donald Trump and included a cameo by Mike Myers as Elon Musk and host Teyana Taylor, arriving amid heightened attention to federal agent actions in Minneapolis, marked by conflicting accounts.
Administration officials asserted that Pretti posed a threat and labeled him a "domestic terrorist," a characterization that critics and video descriptions disputed, according to reviews and footage described in reports.
The Jan. 24 episode was the 11th show of SNL's 51st season and featured musical guest Geese; the Pretti killing came less than three weeks after the Jan. 7 death of Renee Nicole Good, incidents that have prompted national debate, according to news accounts.
SNL is scheduled to return on Jan. 31, 2026 with Alexander Skarsgård hosting and Cardi B as musical guest, and commentators said the show's handling of the Minneapolis shooting may intensify discussion over media responses to federal use of force, according to commentary.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a factual contrast between SNL’s entertainment choices and a contemporaneous fatal shooting, using restrained language, balanced sourcing (SNL representatives, law enforcement, witnesses/family), and juxtaposition of facts rather than moralizing. Examples: neutral verbs (“omitted”), citing video evidence, and including official statements and context.
Sources (3)
FAQ
On January 24, 2026, at 09:05 CST in Minneapolis at 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue, Border Patrol agents shot and killed 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti while he was filming them with his phone and directing traffic during an immigration enforcement operation.
Videos verified by Reuters and CBS News show Pretti holding a cell phone, directing traffic, being pepper-sprayed, wrestled to the ground by agents, with an agent removing a gun from the scuffle before shots were fired while he was on the ground.
DHS claims Pretti approached agents with a handgun, posed a threat as a 'domestic terrorist' intending to 'massacre law enforcement,' and was shot in self-defense after disarming attempts; Minnesota officials and witnesses dispute this, stating he held only a phone, had a lawful carry permit, and was not aggressive.
Agents were pursuing an undocumented man wanted for domestic assault attempting to enter a restaurant, which was refused; bystanders, including Pretti, disrupted with whistles, horns, and filming amid protests against federal immigration crackdowns.
In the January 24, 2026 cold open, James Austin Johnson's Trump impersonation led a mock 'awards' sketch that briefly referenced the Minneapolis shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti amid conflicting federal accounts.
History
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