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Saturday Night Live is back — and season 52 kicked off by trolling Donald Trump and his devoted aide Natalie Harp.
The iconic sketch show opened its brand new season with a cold open featuring James Austin Johnson as Trump speaking to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was played by guest Ramy Youssef.
The two men were in a meeting at Gracie Mansion — which consisted of Trump trying to become best friends with Mamdani — when they were interrupted by a creepy visit from Harp, played by Ashley Padilla.
“Natalie, I didn’t realize you were in New York,” Trump said to Harp, whose hair was wet after coming in from the Nor’easter rain. She responded, “Oh, I wasn’t. I ran here from D.C., Weapons-style. I came in case you needed anything.”
Harp came under media scrutiny this summer for her unusually personal relationship with Trump. Dubbed the human printer, the 35-year-old White House staffer’s seemingly obsessive loyalty to Trump was demonstrated in resurfaced letters she wrote Trump in 2023, which featured her writing to him: “You are all that matters to me.”
In the sketch, Trump then remarked that Harp is like “the girl from Obsession but blond,” referencing the possessed character Nikki, played by Inde Navarette, in the hit horror movie.
Harp then did an impression of the character before promising: “I’m kidding, I’m totally normal!”
“Anyways, nice to meet you, Mayor Mamdani,” Harp said in the sketch before pulling Mamdani to the side. She whispered a warning to him: “If you hurt him, I will end you.”
SNL fans went wild for Padilla as Harp. “The natalie was spot on,” one person wrote on X. Another added: “Casting Ashley Padilla as Nathalie Harp on SNL is gonna drive the Trump White House crazy.”
Others praised the performance compared to Padilla’s other impressions on the sketch series. “I felt like she brought more of a character to this than her [Karoline] Leavitt, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, which were all just Ashley in a wig. I’m okay with Ashley in a wig, this is a step up,” one wrote.
The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment.
After Harp left the sketch, Trump then begged Mamdani to let him stay with him in New York, prompting the mayor to ask Trump for $21 billion for a housing project in Queens.
“Are you out of your mind?” Trump responded.
Mamdani offered, “What if I follow you back on Instagram?”
Trump immediately responded: “It’s a done deal.”
Season 52 of the hit sketch show kicked off with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson as host and musical guest Katseye. New episodes will air Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.
