Weekend Update also takes on Mitch McConnell's shaky return to the Senate and the launch of 'Trump TV'

Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update mocked Donald Trump‘s actions while hosting his Chinese counterpart for a three-day state visit, as well as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth‘s transphobic military mantra.

“On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in D.C. for a state visit, and President Trump drove to meet him at the airport like a boyfriend with no job,” Colin Jost began, referring to Jinping’s arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where Trump rolled out a 100-foot red carpet. “Then Trump ordered military jets to do a flyover to project strength.”

Jost then cut to the flyover of the B-2 bombers. Trump was seen wincing next to Jinping, who looked stoic.

“I don’t know if he projected strength,” Jost commented, “but it looked like he projected something.”

Later in the segment, Jost turned to Hegseth’s address this summer at Texas A&M University.

“No more social experiments. Just training,” Hegseth told the cadets. “No more trannies. Just training.”

Jost had some questions for Hegseth.

“Why were you even thinking about that, bud?” he wondered. “This phrase sounds like something he repeats to stop himself from having uncomfortable fantasies.”

Co-anchor Michael Che then riffed on the administration’s launch of 24/7 streaming channel “Trump TV” after it temporarily banned CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House.

“But if that’s Trump TV, what the hell is Paramount Plus?” he joked, alluding to the platform’s many shows set on ranches, like 1883, Tulsa King, Dutton Ranch, and Yellowstone.

Che also commented on Mitch McConnell’s return to the Senate after three months away, due to what his office said was a fall followed by a case of pneumonia. The 84-year-old, rather than answer reporters’ questions, has often been flashing the “peace” sign—”to show what he refuses to rest in,” Che joked.