SNL Parodies Nicki Minaj at Trump Rally
A Halloween cold open mocked Minaj's appearance alongside Donald Trump at a Michigan campaign event, with Tom Hanks returning as David S. Pumpkins.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Comedy
Live Poll
Do you think celebrities should campaign alongside political candidates?
Saturday Night Live's October 31 episode opened with a cold open parodying Nicki Minaj's appearance at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan. Tom Hanks reprised his David S. Pumpkins character in the same sketch.
Why it matters
The sketch draws on a real campaign appearance from October 25 that drew attention ahead of the midterms. It also revives a recurring character Hanks first brought to the show in 2016.
The real-life Port Huron rally occurred October 25, and the sketch aired on October 31, six days later. The David S. Pumpkins character debuted in 2016, according to the sketch's own reference.
The players
Saturday Night Live
The long-running NBC sketch comedy series known for its live weekly broadcasts and political parody sketches.
Tom Hanks
The Academy Award-winning actor who reprised his David S. Pumpkins character in the cold open.
Nicki Minaj
The rapper and performer who appeared alongside Donald Trump at the Port Huron rally that the sketch parodied.
Donald Trump
The former and current President of the United States, depicted in the sketch as introducing Minaj at the rally.
The details
In the sketch, Trump introduces Minaj on stage to speak to supporters, then jokes about cutting off Pumpkins' performance and notes the two shared a 2016 debut. Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan play the dancing skeleton sidekicks alongside Hanks.
Timeline
October 25: Trump and Minaj appear at the Port Huron, Michigan rally.
October 31: SNL's Halloween episode airs the cold open parody.
2016: David S. Pumpkins debuts, referenced in the sketch.
Legal Context
The sketch continues SNL's long tradition of using cold open parodies of campaign events, most recently tied to the 2016 Pumpkins debut that Hanks revived here. It reflects the show's pattern of satirizing candidates through recurring characters.
The sketch aired on NBC's Saturday Night Live broadcast on October 31, so viewers could see it during that live episode. The extraction does not specify streaming availability or replay options.
The takeaway
Political satire often lands hardest when it reuses familiar characters in new contexts. Viewers following campaign coverage can recognize the real appearances a sketch references.
Further reading
Explore more comedy coverage on how sketch shows satirize political figures.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Source.
Live Poll
Do you think celebrities should campaign alongside political candidates?
