• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & EntertainmentSaturday Night Live

Watch Saturday Night Live’s Shirtless Vladimir Putin Assure America About President Trump

By
Mahita Gajanan
Mahita Gajanan
and
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 22, 2017, 10:35 AM ET
Saturday Night Live - Season 42
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- "Felicity Jones" Episode 1715 -- Pictured: (l-r) Bobby Moynihan, Vanessa Bayer, Sasheer Zamata as reporters, and Beck Bennett as Vladimir Putin during the Trump Press Conference Cold Open on January 14th, 2017 -- (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)NBC NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Saturday Night Live‘s Vladimir Putin attempted to reassure Americans anxious about President Donald Trump in a special message from Russia during the show’s cold open.

“Today, many of you are scared and marching in the streets. You are worried that the country is in the hands of this unpredictable man,” the shirtless Russian president, played by Beck Bennett, said. “It’s not. Relax, I got this.”

[hulu id=1g3bnvcxla0lguj3p5gcng width=512 height=288]

Putin also took a critical eye to the 36 hours of Trump’s presidency, saying that though the new president is “perhaps not” perfect, he could “get him there.”

For more on the Women’s March, watch:

“I’m glad to see so many people showed up to your inauguration,” Putin said, addressing Trump and showing a picture of a packed National Mall in Washington D.C. “Oh wait, that’s the Women’s March.”

Millions of people turned out in D.C. and cities across the U.S. and the world in opposition to the Trump Administration’s views on Saturday. The massive attendance overshadowed the relatively small presence at Trump’s inaugural ceremony.

For more on the Women’s March, watch:

Although Alec Baldwin did not appear to play Trump following the presidential inauguration, SNL took on the new administration’s inaccurate statements about the size of the crowd at the inauguration on Friday with some friendly advice for Trump.

“Today you went to the CIA and said 1 million people came to see you in Washington, D.C.,” Putin said. “If you’re going to lie, don’t make it so obvious. Say you are friends with LeBron James—not that you are LeBron James.”

About the Authors
By Mahita Gajanan
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Malcolm Gladwell tells young people if they want a STEM degree, 'don’t go to Harvard.' You may end up at the bottom of your class and drop out
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 27, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Banking
Russian official warns a banking crisis is possible amid nonpayments. 'I don’t want to think about a continuation of the war or an escalation'
By Jason MaDecember 27, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Europe
Christmas 500 years ago was a drunken 6-week feast that may have been considerably better than the modern holiday, medieval historian says
By Bobbi Sutherland and The ConversationDecember 25, 2025
4 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Peter Thiel and Larry Page are preparing to flee California in case the state passes a billionaire wealth tax, report says
By Jason MaDecember 27, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
As millions of Gen Zers face unemployment, CEOs of Amazon, Walmart, and McDonald's say opportunity is still there—if you have the right mindset
By Preston ForeDecember 26, 2025
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Arts & Entertainment
Gen Zers and millennials flock to so-called analog islands 'because so little of their life feels tangible'
By Michael Liedtke and The Associated PressDecember 28, 2025
10 hours ago

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Arts & EntertainmentObituary
Brigitte Bardot, sex symbol then animal activist, dies at 91
By Angelina Rascouet, Gregory Viscusi and BloombergDecember 28, 2025
1 hour ago
Arts & EntertainmentGen Z
Gen Zers and millennials flock to so-called analog islands ‘because so little of their life feels tangible’
By Michael Liedtke and The Associated PressDecember 28, 2025
10 hours ago
Mackenzie Scott, wearing a red dress, smiles.
Successphilanthropy
MacKenzie Scott’s close relationship with Toni Morrison long before Amazon put her on the path give more than $1 billion to HBCUs
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 28, 2025
11 hours ago
PoliticsDonald Trump
Kennedy Center seeks $1 million in damages from musician who canceled performance after Trump name added to building
By Steven Sloan and The Associated PressDecember 27, 2025
1 day ago
Travel & Leisurepets
Freshpet’s COO says customers spend more on pets than children: ‘Their dog comes before their partner, their kids’
By Sydney LakeDecember 26, 2025
3 days ago
Woman reading at home
Successlifestyle
The books, TV series, and podcasts CEOs are tuning into this holiday season to unwind and elevate their careers in 2026
By Emma BurleighDecember 26, 2025
3 days ago