SNL star Colin Jost roasts ‘unlikeable’ Trump over E Jean Carroll verdict

Saturday Night Live set its sights on Donald Trump over the verdict in the E Jean Carroll defamation trial

One week after the SNL spotlight was placed on the trial, the latest episode’s Weekend Update segment, hosted by Colin Jost and Michael Che, poked fun at the former president, who is running for office in the 2024 US election.

In 2019, journalist Carroll successfully sued the former president after he said she had fabricated a rape accusation made against him. The latest trial saw Carroll seek further damages in the case.

Trump, 77, was lampooned over the news that he has been ordered to pay $83m (£65m) to journalist E Jean Carroll in defamation damages, following which he asked his supporters to donate money to his presidential campaign.

“Trump is a billionaire, so obviously, he immediately hit up your grandma for five bucks,” Jost said in reference to the news, adding that the fine had been so steep as “that’s how unlikeable he is”.

Jost continued by quipping: “For perspective, OJ Simpson only had to pay $33m for double murder.”

Simpson was acquitted by a jury in 1995 for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. His trial created a media storm at the time and was broadcast live, captivating the public and dominating news coverage. Simpson was found liable in the case in a civil suit in 1997.

Comedian Jost then addressed comments made by Trump’s republican rival, Nikki Haley, who has questioned the former president’s mental competency.

After losing the New Hampshire primary earlier this week, Haley said: “Now I’ve long called for mental competency tests for politicians over the age of 75.” Her remarks came after Trump seemingly confused Haley for Nancy Pelosi.

Jost and Che showed a compilation of Trump making random noises, with Jost, in reference to Haley’s comments, stating: “See, he’s fine. He hasn’t lost a step.”

On Sunday (28 January), rapper Snoop Dogg, who has repeatedly trolled Trump for the best part of a decade, said he now has “nothing but love and respect” for the politician.