SNL Ends the Year With Relentless Jabs at Epstein Files and Washington Chaos
The final episode of the year for Saturday Night Live closed out 2025 by leaning hard into one of the most uncomfortable political stories still hovering over Washington: the sudden release, and partial disappearance, of newly redacted Jeffrey Epstein files tied to the Department of Justice. The episode, which aired Saturday night, repeatedly referenced the document dump that went live Friday and quietly lost several files by the following day, turning bureaucratic opacity into late-night ammunition across both the cold open and Weekend Update.
Cold Open Targets Epstein Fallout
The show opened with a Trump-centered sketch featuring James Austin Johnson reprising his now-familiar portrayal of Donald Trump. The segment wove Epstein references directly into its satire, framing the document release and subsequent file removals as part of a broader pattern of political deflection and selective transparency. While the sketch avoided specific allegations, its premise leaned heavily on the public confusion surrounding what was released, what was redacted, and what appeared to vanish without explanation.
Weekend Update Keeps the Pressure On
That theme carried into Weekend Update, where anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che returned to the Epstein files repeatedly. Jost opened one segment by twisting a familiar holiday trope, suggesting Americans were once again talking about “the man who flies through the air to visit children all over the world” before revealing the punchline. Che followed by joking that the Department of Justice may not have been able to release the full cache of documents because it simply “ran out of black ink,” a reference to the extensive redactions that have fueled public skepticism.
Later in the segment, Jost mocked White House reporting that described Trump as having what aides characterized as an “alcoholic’s personality,” responding, “Hey, don’t you dare compare him to my friend, Michael Che.” It was the only direct quote of the night that cut through the satire with a personal edge and drew one of the loudest audience reactions.
Politics Dominates the Final Update
Beyond Epstein, Weekend Update stayed firmly focused on national politics, touching on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his stated push to ban transgender-affirming care, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s engagement, and renewed speculation about Trump’s health following recent public appearances. The recurring theme was less about individual punchlines and more about institutional credibility, or the lack of it, as major policy decisions, personal scandals, and unanswered questions continue to collide in public view.
A Familiar SNL Ending to an Unfamiliar Year
SNL’s year-end episode didn’t attempt to resolve the Epstein controversy or explain the missing files. Instead, it did what the show has increasingly done in recent years: underline the absurdity of unresolved power and accountability by pointing out how little clarity the public actually receives. As the show signed off for the year, the message was clear. The story isn’t going away, and neither is the discomfort surrounding it.
