“Saturday Night Live” opened its Season 52 premiere by turning one of President Donald Trump’s most devoted aides into a comic obsession, with the cold open casting Natalie Harp as a fiercely protective fixture at his side. Ashley Padilla played Harp — modeled on Nikki, the possessive character from “Obsession” — while James Austin Johnson returned as Trump.
The sketch built its story around Trump’s unlikely friendship with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, played by guest star Ramy Youssef. “For some reason that no one can figure out, I really, really like you,” Johnson’s Trump told Mamdani.
The parody landed just days after CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak reported that Harp had shown Trump a Politico graphic and television clips before he barred Politico, CNN and MS NOW from the White House. A close aide, Harp is often seen beside the president in the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One.
Padilla’s Harp closed the sketch by pulling Mamdani aside and delivering a warning: “If you hurt him, I will end you.”