Saturday Night Live mercilessly mocked President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Oval Office showdown in its latest skit.
The cast also took shots at Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency – with alum Mike Myers playing the chainsaw-wielding tech mogul.
Fallout from Friday’s meeting between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelensky continues after it devolved into an extraordinary shouting match in front of the press.
The meeting appeared to take a turn after the Ukrainian president pressed Vance on what he meant by Trump “engaging in diplomacy” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the series of peace deals that he violated.
Both Trump and Vance then called Zelensky “disrespectful.”
Sources told the Guardian that officials are enraged that Zelensky didn’t take the advice given to him by senators to praise Trump and avoid discussing security guarantees, as the minerals deal was supposed to signal the U.S.’s commitment on security guarantees.
Meanwhile, Musk's emails to federal workers demanding they justify what they accomplished last week continues to rile agency heads after a second email was sent out over the weekend.
The second email has received more pushback from department heads, according to the Washington Post.
Key Points
- SNL mercilessly mocks Oval Office showdown between Trump, Vance and Zelensky
- White House blames Zelensky for Oval Office catastrophe
- Starmer assures Zelensky has 'full backing across the United Kingdom' day after White House meltdown
- Congresswoman apologizes to the world after Trump, Vance attack on Zelensky
- AOC brands Elon Musk 'a disgusting leech on the public'
Special government employees come with a 130-day cap. But, no one knows when - or if - Musk will leave
15:00
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Rhian Lubin
With Elon Musk’s status as a “special government employee” comes a limit of 130 days in the executive branch — but now the White House suggests no such limit exists for the tech billionaire.
Musk has led the Department of Government Efficiency on a crash course through the federal government marked by slashed contracts and mass layoffs, which are sometimes followed by prompt re-hirings. The quick cuts have left the American public and members of Congress concerned about the roles of DOGE and Musk.
The time limit of the SpaceX founder’s status — “special government employee” — perhaps provided solace to some that his time in the federal government would be short. The work designation allows for someone to work in the executive branch for a maximum of 130 days during a 365-day period.
Kelly Rissman reports.
SNL cold open: Mike Myers Crashes Trump Zelensky meeting as Elon Musk
14:16
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Rhian Lubin
In Trump’s 1.0 his decisions left an impact on National Parks that would be felt for centuries. He just did it again
13:00
,
Rhian Lubin
The last time America’s national parks were impacted by the Trump administration, the effects were so devastating experts said it would take as many as 300 years to recover.
In 2019, a federal government shutdown lasted 35 days. It resulted in massively destructive impacts to America's national parks, including closures and vandalism, as parks were left without rangers. The iconic trees at California’s Joshua Tree National Park were damaged and chopped down as guests ran wild. Conservationists said that recovery could take centuries.
With the recent seasonal hiring freeze and unceremonious layoffs at the agency during President Donald Trump’s second term, parks leaders say similar situations could happen again.
Julia Musto reports.
Elon Musk says it's 'mandatory' federal workers reply to productivity emails
12:00
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Rhian Lubin
Elon Musk said it is “mandatory” that federal workers respond to the second email demanding they account for their past working week in five bullet points.
The latest emails are beginning to arrive seven days after a similar request from the Donald Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sparked widespread chaos and confusion across Washington, D.C.
This time, emails are being sent from individual agencies rather than OPM.
The President has made it clear that this is mandatory for the executive branch.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 1, 2025
Anyone working on classified or other sensitive matters is still required to respond if they receive the email, but can simply reply that their work is sensitive. https://t.co/lSyfj8eMzR
In Trump’s 1.0 his decisions left an impact on National Parks that would be felt for centuries. He just did it again
12:00
,
Rhian Lubin
The last time America’s national parks were impacted by the Trump administration, the effects were so devastating experts said it would take as many as 300 years to recover.
In 2019, a federal government shutdown lasted 35 days. It resulted in massively destructive impacts to America's national parks, including closures and vandalism, as parks were left without rangers. The iconic trees at California’s Joshua Tree National Park were damaged and chopped down as guests ran wild. Conservationists said that recovery could take centuries.
With the recent seasonal hiring freeze and unceremonious layoffs at the agency during President Donald Trump’s second term, parks leaders say similar situations could happen again.
Julia Musto reports.
Senior DOJ official resigns because of a ‘toxic work environment’ within the agency
11:00
,
Rhian Lubin
A top Department of Justice official, spokesperson Joshua Stueve, has resigned because of a “toxic work environment within the agency.
Stueve has served in administrations headed by both parties, but resigned in a bombshell letter to the department’s leadership this week.
“Simply put, I cannot continue to serve in such a hostile and toxic work environment, one where leadership at the highest levels makes clear we are not welcomed or valued, much less trusted to do our jobs,” Stueve wrote in part.
Read on for the details.
ICYMI: Keir Starmer reassures Zelensky after Trump showdown
10:00
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Rhian Lubin
3,000 troops en route to US-Mexico border as Trump admin steps up militarization of the area
09:00
,
Rhian Lubin
The Pentagon is sending another 2,500 to 3,000 troops to the southern border as the Trump administration continues to ramp up its crackdown on immigration.
Some of the soldiers being sent to the border come from a motorized brigade using Stryker combat vehicles, two defense officials told The Washington Post.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the orders Friday, according to the officials. The troops are mostly from the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado. The officials told the paper that they will be joined by soldiers with specialties in public affairs, intelligence, and engineering.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett apologizes to the world after Trump, Vance attack on Zelensky
08:00
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Rhian Lubin
Rep. Jasmine Crockett apologized to the world for the way President Donald Trump and JD Vance behaved in the Oval Office in an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian leader was accused by the president and Vance of being ungrateful and of disrespecting the United State on Friday in a heated exchange that shocked the world.
While Republicans were quick to side with Trump, Democrats joined many world leaders in condemning the White House for its conduct.
Continue reading...
Nearly 15,000 will have died already because of Trump and Musk’s cuts to USAID, advocacy program claims
07:00
,
Rhian Lubin
Nearly 15,000 will have died already because of Trump and Musk’s cuts to USAID, advocacy program claims
Nearly 15,000 people - including more than 1,500 children - are estimated to have died already because of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s savage cuts to USAID, according to an advocacy program tracker.
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the global health program funded by USAID that includes HIV treatment, testing and prevention drug distribution, has saved more than 25 million lives since it began in 2003 under former President George W. Bush.
A tracker compiled by the HIV Modeling Consortium – a network of epidemiologists, modelers, health economists and policymakers – charts the impact of the Trump administration’s freeze on funding for the AIDS’ program.
Read the full story.
Senior Russian react with glee over Zelensky's 'suicide in the White House'
06:00
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Jabed Ahmed
Senior Russian react with glee over Zelensky's 'suicide in the White House'
Senior Russian politicians have reacted with glee to what they see as Volodymyr Zelensky's White House humiliation at the hands of President Donald Trump, saying the Ukrainian leader got what he deserved and that U.S. military aid to Kyiv must now be cut.
Hardline nationalist TV commentator Vladimir Solovyov on Friday announced a special show devoted to what he called "Zelensky's suicide in the White House".
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Zelensky, who was accused by Trump and Vice President JD Vance of being disrespectful towards the United States, had received a "solid slap".
"A brutal dressing down in the Oval Office," Medvedev, who is deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, posted on Telegram.
He said the Ukrainian leader had finally been told the truth to his face that, as he put it, "the Kyiv regime is playing with World War Three." It was not enough though, said Medvedev, saying military aid to Ukraine should now be halted, something Moscow has long pushed for.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was a miracle that Trump and Vance had restrained themselves from hitting Zelensky during the Oval Office clash.
In a statement on Saturday, Zakharova said Zelensky had behaved boorishly during what she said was a total political and diplomatic failure for Kyiv.
It was time, she suggested, for Europe, like Washington, to realise who it was dealing with.
ICYMI: U.S. officials blast ‘cowardly puppets’ Trump-Vance as GOP leaders hail president’s threats to Zelensky as ‘America first’
05:00
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Rhian Lubin
Democratic members of Congress and Republican officials who have warned against Vladimir Putin’s autocratic regime blasted Donald Trump and JD Vance for publicly lashing out at Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in a volatile Oval Office meeting over the embattled nation’s security from Russia’s ongoing war.
They labeled the president’s behavior “shameful,” “disgusting,” an “embarrassment,” and a crude opening for Putin to continue to drive a wedge between the United States and Ukraine.
Trump even at one point expressed solidarity with Putin, noting that they were both targets of investigations into the president’s 2016 campaign. Putin “respects” him, Trump said, because they “went through a hell of a lot” together.
The president’s Republican allies, meanwhile, framed the meeting as Trump’s “America first” agenda at work.
Alex Woodward reports.
Trump administration strikes back at Eric Adams’ lawsuit over missing $80m as DoJ drops case against mayor
04:00
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Rhian Lubin
The Trump White House is hitting back at a lawsuit from Mayor Eric Adams over $80 million being taken from a New York City bank account.
This comes after the Department of Justice dismissed a federal criminal case against the mayor.
In a Friday court filing, the Trump administration argued that it had the right to remove the funds from the account, which prompted the Adams lawsuit, Politico reported.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Report: Russian and Chinese spies are targeting US federal workers fired in DOGE purges
03:30
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Rhian Lubin
The intelligence services of Russia, China, and other foreign adversaries are attempting to recruit U.S. federal workers who lost their jobs in the DOGE-directed massive layoffs, according to a report.
The countries appear to be attempting to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s plans to downsize the federal government, sources familiar with American intelligence on the matter told CNN.
Kelly Rissman reports.
King Charles invites Zelensky to meet with him after Trump showdown
03:00
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Rhian Lubin
King Charles is to meet Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday in a rare and dramatic sign of royal support.
The King’s invitation for the Ukraine president to join him at Sandringham came a day after President Donald Trump sparked worldwide outrage by insulting and abusing Zelensky at the White House.
And it is only two days after Trump accepted an invitation from the King for an unprecedented second state visit to the U.K. – delivered to him personally by Sir Keir Starmer.
David Maddox, Millie Cooke and Tom Watling have the details.
Trump promises to pardon deceased baseball great who was never convicted of a crime
02:30
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Rhian Lubin
Just hours after Donald Trump shocked the world by chastising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, the president took to his TruthSocial page to promise to pardon baseball great Pete Rose.
Rose, who died last year at 83, was banned from baseball for life. He admitted in 2004 that he had bet on games, though never against his own team. “Over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete pardon of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on his team winning,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“He never betted against himself, or the other team. He had the most hits, by far, in baseball history, and won more games than anyone in sports history.”
Paul Farrell reports.
Judge says Trump cannot fire head of independent watchdog agency
02:25
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Kelly Rissman
A federal judge Saturday blocked the removal of Hampton Dellinger as head of the Office of Special Counsel.
Dellinger sued the Trump administration after he received an email in February terminating him without cause. His five-year term was set to end in 2029 and his firing violated a law that says the president can only remove the special counsel for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office,” he argued.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson granted his motion for a permanent injunction on Saturday.
The February 7 email announcing Dellinger was terminated “was an unlawful, ultra vires act in violation of 5 U.S.C. §1211(b). Therefore, it is null and void, and plaintiff is and shall be the Special Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel for the remainder of his five-year term unless and until he is removed,” she wrote in her Saturday filing.
US auto industry could be collateral damage in Trump's trade wars
02:00
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Rhian Lubin
President Donald Trump’s trade wars threaten to claim a casualty on the home front: the American auto industry.
If the president goes ahead with 25% taxes on imports from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, he will disrupt more than $300 billion in annual U.S. automotive trade with its two neighbors, wreck supply chains that have been operating for decades and likely push up the already-forbidding price of new cars.
The tariffs pose an “existential’’ threat to North American auto production, said David Gantz, a fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. They will push up “the cost of everything that’s imported from Mexico or Canada that goes into a car assembled in the U.S.’’
Read the full story below.
Zelensky hails 'meaningful and warm' meeting with Starmer day after Oval Office meltdown
01:30
,
Kelly Rissman
UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer assured Ukrainian president Zelensky that he has “full backing across the United Kingdom” as the world leaders met at No. 10 one day after the Oval Office blowup.
Zelensky touted the meeting as "meaningful and warm."
“I thank the people and government of the United Kingdom for their tremendous support from the very beginning of this war,” he said. ”We are happy to have such strategic partners and to share the same vision of what a secure future should look like for all.”
White House blames Zelensky for Oval Office catastrophe
01:03
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Kelly Rissman
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Zelensky for the catastrophic outcome, taking issue with his tone and mannerisms, like folding his arms, rolling his eyes, and calling the vice president by his first name, she told CNBC after the meeting.
White House officials also didn’t appreciate the fact that Zelensky didn’t boast a suit, the outlet reported.
President Donald Trump earlier in the day mocked his outfit: “Oh look, you’re all dressed up.”
Nearly 15,000 will have died already because of Trump and Musk’s cuts to USAID, advocacy program claims
01:00
,
Rhian Lubin
Nearly 15,000 people - including more than 1,500 children - are estimated to have died already because of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s savage cuts to USAID, according to an advocacy program tracker.
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the global health program funded by USAID that includes HIV treatment, testing and prevention drug distribution, has saved more than 25 million lives since it began in 2003 under former President George W. Bush.
A tracker compiled by the HIV Modeling Consortium – a network of epidemiologists, modelers, health economists and policymakers – charts the impact of the Trump administration’s freeze on funding for the AIDS’ program.
Read the full story.
Watch: Keir Starmer’s reassuring words to Volodymyr Zelensky after Donald Trump and JD Vance clash
00:30
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Rhian Lubin
Meanwhile, Zelensky is in the U.K. seeking reassurance from Prime Minister Keir Starmer following Friday’s heated meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
These Republicans loved Trump and Vance’s attack on Zelensky
00:00
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Rhian Lubin
While a number of Republicans and a large contingent of traditional U.S. allies have expressed outrage at the White House blowup between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, some Republicans rejoiced at the controversial spectacle.
Despite worldwide condemnation of Trump and Vance’s behavior, many Republicans from around the country were delighted with the showing and used the furore as an opportunity to commend the 47th president.
MAGA Republicans in Congress said the meeting showed off the “America First” point of view. Others saw it as a reason to end American aid to Ukraine.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Zelensky remains hopeful he can salvage relationship with Trump
Saturday 1 March 2025 23:30
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Rhian Lubin
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky remains hopeful he can salvage his relationship with Donald Trump, after a meeting intended to cement a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal descended into members of the Republican administration berating the visiting leader in front of news cameras.
“Yes, of course,” Zelensky said Friday in an interview with Fox News, touting the ties between the people of America and Ukraine. “It’s more than two presidents. The historical relations, strong relations, between our people.”
“This is the most important—and of course [we’re] thankful to the president and to Congress—but first of all to your people,” Zelensky continued. “Your people helped to save our people.”
Josh Marcus reports.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski: 'Trump administration appears to be walking away from our allies'
Saturday 1 March 2025 23:00
,
Rhian Lubin
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski is one of a few GOP voices speaking out in support of Ukraine following President Donald Trump’s explosive exchange in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Alaskan senator said that the Trump administration “appears to be walking away from our allies” following the tense meeting.
This week started with administration officials refusing to acknowledge that Russia started the war in Ukraine. It ends with a tense, shocking conversation in the Oval Office and whispers from the White House that they may try to end all U.S. support for Ukraine. I know foreign…
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) March 1, 2025
Senior Russian react with glee over Zelensky's 'suicide in the White House'
Saturday 1 March 2025 22:30
,
Rhian Lubin
Senior Russian politicians have reacted with glee to what they see as Volodymyr Zelensky's White House humiliation at the hands of President Donald Trump, saying the Ukrainian leader got what he deserved and that U.S. military aid to Kyiv must now be cut.
Hardline nationalist TV commentator Vladimir Solovyov on Friday announced a special show devoted to what he called "Zelensky's suicide in the White House".
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Zelensky, who was accused by Trump and Vice President JD Vance of being disrespectful towards the United States, had received a "solid slap".
"A brutal dressing down in the Oval Office," Medvedev, who is deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, posted on Telegram.
He said the Ukrainian leader had finally been told the truth to his face that, as he put it, "the Kyiv regime is playing with World War Three." It was not enough though, said Medvedev, saying military aid to Ukraine should now be halted, something Moscow has long pushed for.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was a miracle that Trump and Vance had restrained themselves from hitting Zelensky during the Oval Office clash.
In a statement on Saturday, Zakharova said Zelensky had behaved boorishly during what she said was a total political and diplomatic failure for Kyiv.
It was time, she suggested, for Europe, like Washington, to realise who it was dealing with.
Trump has spoken to Starmer and Macron today following Zelensky fallout
Saturday 1 March 2025 22:00
,
Rhian Lubin
President Donald Trump has spoken with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron today on the phone after Friday’s dramatic meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky traveled to the U.K. from Washington, D.C. to meet the British Prime Minister, where he received his “full backing.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett apologizes to the world after Trump, Vance attack on Zelensky
Saturday 1 March 2025 21:30
,
Rhian Lubin
Rep. Jasmine Crockett apologized to the world for the way President Donald Trump and JD Vance behaved in the Oval Office in an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian leader was accused by the president and Vance of being ungrateful and of disrespecting the United State on Friday in a heated exchange that shocked the world.
While Republicans were quick to side with Trump, Democrats joined many world leaders in condemning the White House for its conduct.
More details below.
Trump administration 'wants public apology' from Zelensky
Saturday 1 March 2025 21:00
,
Rhian Lubin
The Trump administration wants a public apology from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky before talks go any further, according to Bloomberg.
The outlet reports that European officials said the administration has privately ‘made clear’ it needs the apology to mend relations following Friday’s unexpected showdown in the Oval Office.
Zelensky is in the U.K. meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who says the Ukrainian leader has his “full backing.”
AOC brands Elon Musk 'a disgusting leech on the public'
Saturday 1 March 2025 20:30