White House Criticizes 'SNL' Over Trump Assassination Joke

The White House pushes back on NBC's comedy show after a controversial joke by Michael Che.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 12:08am

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An abstract, minimalist composition using bold, jagged geometric shapes and high-contrast colors to conceptually represent the controversy between the White House and Saturday Night Live, without depicting any specific people or places.The White House's criticism of SNL's political satire exposes the ongoing tensions between the current administration and the long-running comedy show.Chicago Today

The White House has criticized Saturday Night Live after comedian Michael Che made a joke about the assassination of President Donald Trump during the show's Weekend Update segment. The White House spokesman fired back, saying SNL 'hasn't been a good television show since President Trump hosted it' in 2015.

Why it matters

The White House's response highlights the ongoing tensions between the current administration and the long-running sketch comedy show, which has frequently mocked and satirized the president. The incident also raises questions about the boundaries of political humor and free speech, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like assassination.

The details

During the Weekend Update, Che made a reference to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln while joking about President Trump attending the opening night of the musical 'Chicago' at the Kennedy Center. The White House spokesman Davis Ingle criticized SNL, saying the show 'hasn't been a good television show since President Trump hosted it' in 2015.

  • On April 8, 2026, Michael Che made the controversial joke about President Trump on Saturday Night Live.
  • In 2015, President Trump hosted Saturday Night Live during the Republican primary race.

The players

Michael Che

A comedian and co-anchor of the Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live.

Davis Ingle

A White House spokesman who criticized Saturday Night Live for the joke made by Michael Che.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who survived two assassination attempts while on the campaign trail in 2024.

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What they’re saying

“'President Trump attended the opening night of Chicago at the Kennedy Center, and I think that's cool that the president is going to the theater. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?'”

— Michael Che, Comedian and co-anchor of Weekend Update

“'Saturday Night Live hasn't been a good television show since President Trump hosted it.'”

— Davis Ingle, White House spokesman

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the current White House administration and the long-running sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, which has frequently mocked and satirized the president. The controversy over Che's joke about the assassination of President Trump raises questions about the boundaries of political humor and free speech, especially when it comes to sensitive topics.