'SNL' Roasts Kristi Noem After Trump Fired Her as DHS Secretary

The comedy show took aim at the former Homeland Security chief's departure from the Trump administration.

Mar. 8, 2026 at 1:08pm

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Saturday Night Live opened with a sketch mocking President Donald Trump's decision to fire Kristi Noem from her role as Homeland Security secretary. In the skit, cast member Ashley Padilla portrayed Noem, who joked about having to "self-deport" and turn in her "badge, gun, lips, lashes, teeth and forehead" after being ousted from the administration.

Why it matters

Noem's dismissal from the Trump cabinet has been a source of political controversy, with the former South Dakota governor facing tough questioning from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over her leadership at the Department of Homeland Security. SNL's decision to satirize the situation underscores the high-profile nature of Noem's exit and the public interest in the political fallout.

The details

In the sketch, SNL cast member Colin Jost played Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who casually informed reporters that Noem had been "reassigned under the bus." Padilla's Noem character then took the podium to insist she wasn't fired, but rather "self-deported," joking that her new office would be at a WeWork location outside Denver.

  • Last week, President Trump announced Noem's termination in a social media post, tapping Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement.

The players

Kristi Noem

The former governor of South Dakota who was fired from her role as Homeland Security secretary in the Trump administration.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who dismissed Noem from her cabinet position.

Markwayne Mullin

The Oklahoma senator who was appointed by Trump to replace Noem as Homeland Security secretary.

Thom Tillis

The Republican senator from North Carolina who criticized Noem's leadership during a tense Senate hearing.

Pete Hegseth

The Defense Secretary character portrayed by SNL cast member Colin Jost in the sketch mocking Noem's departure.

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What they’re saying

“I just want to make it clear that I didn't get fired. I self-deported.”

— Kristi Noem

The takeaway

SNL's satirical take on Noem's ouster from the Trump administration underscores the high-profile nature of her departure and the ongoing political fallout surrounding her leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.