November 7, 2021

SNL Finally Has a Truly Great Trump Impersonator

Apologies to Alec, but close your eyes and you’ll think this guy is the real deal.

Will HeathNBC/Getty

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There are few things the United States needs more than another bad Donald Trump impression. The man is beyond parody to the point of making even decent satire fall flat. But lo and behold, SNL, after committing itself to Alec Baldwin in the Trump role, has found the man born to play our 45th president. 

Close your eyes and you’ll think new cast member James Austin Johnson is the real thing. He nails the preening self-regard, the incessant need for attention, and the way Trump wields “excuse me” almost as a verbal saber.  

It feels perverse to laugh at a grotesque, exaggeratory version of Trump, when the one we have is more than enough. Johnson’s skill is in reflecting Trump as he truly is—and, however unnecessary it may seem to have more Trump in our lives—that is almost a more fitting way to go about it. What’s the use of making the guy a literal cartoon when he does that so well himself?

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We were built for times like these

Russian bots are impersonating us. Trump and his allies want to silence us. AI wants to (and does!) steal our content. The list goes on. But with 50 years of experience, we know we were built for this moment: We’re ready to keep diving deep and uncovering the truth, then getting that to you right here, completely accessible and never behind a paywall.

While our work is free to read, watch, and listen to online, it’s incredibly costly to make. Court documents, travel, research: It all adds up. Because we’re a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on reader support to fund our investigations. Will you stand with us in these extraordinary times, as headlines clamour for our attention and disinformation is rampant? We can’t get the truth out without you.

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