In a provocative cold open on Saturday Night Live, three teenage girls – played by Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, and Mikey Madison – chatted over Signal about a sensitive military operation in Yemen. The twist? The conversation was actually about the Trump administration discussing plans for a potential raid.
The scenario pokes fun at how some Trump officials, including Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, and J.D. Vance, took to Signal to discuss military strategy while using emojis that reflected their own interests rather than military protocol. The joke highlights the lack of professionalism in such discussions, particularly when compared to how the teenage girls would typically chat about school gossip.
The SNL cold open uses satire to comment on the Trump administration’s handling of sensitive information and the use of social media platforms like Signal for official business. By exaggerating the behavior of some officials, the show aims to draw attention to the need for more responsible communication in government circles.
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2025/03/snl-signal-chat-cold-open/682242