'Saturday Night Live' debuts a new Donald Trump during the program's opening skit

Trump James Austin Johnson — James Austin Johnson as former President Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live."
Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

The comedian and actor James Austin Johnson debuted his parody of former President Trump on "SNL."
Johnson's Trump character appeared alongside Cecily Strong's Jeanine Pirro and Alex Moffat, who played Glenn Youngkin.
Johnson was cast as a featured player on the long-running show this year.

"Saturday Night Live" last night debuted a new cast member's impression of former President Donald Trump during the opening skit of the long-running comedy show.

James Austin Johnson, who was cast as a featured player on the show this year and had gained a following for his impersonation of Trump even before stepping onstage at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, parodied the former president while conducting an interview with Cecily Strong, who was impersonating Fox News host Jeanine Pirro.

Johnson's Trump character appeared alongside Strong's Pirro and Alex Moffat, who was impersonating Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, who was elected last Tuesday in what was seen as a major electoral win for the GOP after the party lost the White House last November and control of the US Senate in January.

Moffat's Youngkin character went on to say how he was fortunate to have won the race with the support of parents and not because he needed help from Trump.

-Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) November 7, 2021

Johnson's Trump character then sought to take credit for the electoral victory in Virginia, despite the real-life Youngkin embracing the former president from a distance and instead choosing to focus on local issues.

With nearly 98% of the vote counted, Youngkin defeated former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe last week by a 50.7%-48.6% margin, or roughly 68,000 votes out of nearly 3.3 million ballots cast.

"I just wanted to congratulate Glenn Youngkin, and mostly myself, on a tremendous victory in Virginia. You know what, Glenn, we did it together," Johnson's Trump character said on the show.

"Oh, you don't have to say that," Moffat's Youngkin responded while on a split-screen with Johnson.

Johnson, using the same mannerisms as Trump, tried to endear himself to Moffat's Youngkin character, which Moffat clearly sought to convey with facial expressions showing varying levels of discomfort.

"It's great to be here, Judge Judy, and it's great to be, frankly, winning again. Oh, we love to win, and you know what, you're gonna see a lot more winning where that came from. Let me tell you. You're gonna see it a lot," said Johnson's Trump character.

He then went on to discuss election issues, before pivoting to the film "Eternals," the actor Chris Pratt, and Santa Claus, among other topics.

The actor Alec Baldwin, who previously portrayed Trump, retired the role after the former president's election loss to President Joe Biden last year.

Read the original article on Business Insider