SNL mocks pope’s death and implies VP JD Vance played a role in controversial Trump sketch

Saturday Night Live is no stranger to poking fun at religion but its latest sketch is drawing criticism for suggesting Vice President JD Vance may have played a role in the death of Pope Francis The episode opened with a sentimental musical number dedicated to moms ahead of Mother s Day The song was abruptly interrupted by a parody of President Donald Trump played by cast member James Austin Johnson The opening monologue of the show has consistently been focused on the president for weeks It s me again invading all aspects of your life Johnson s Trump commented as he took the stage He fast shifted the tone by commenting on the Catholic Church s contemporary voting process of a new pope We have an American Pope Chicago-style no ketchup he joked about Pope Leo XIV who was born in Chicago Illinois But we like Pope Leo We hope he does what we want That s what you want the Pope to do SNL COMPARES TRUMP TO JESUS IN EASTER SKETCH MOCKING BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND FAITH 'DONALD JESUS TRUMP'The sketch took a darker turn when the parody Trump implied that Vice President Vance may have had something to do with Pope Francis death Otherwise I ll have to send JD back to do his thing Remember last time JD met the pope he revealed referencing the fact that Vance met Pope Francis just one day before the pontiff s death Vance was in fact the last known world leader to meet with Pope Francis visiting him on Easter Sunday last month The pope passed away the following day SNL SAYS TRUMP S BEEN IN OFFICE YEARS WHILE MOCKING PAPAL AMBITIONS AND EXECUTIVE ORDER FRENZYThe sketch went on to blame Vance for a string of international crises with Johnson s Trump saying He s got the Meidas touch but for bad things He meets the pope Dead Goes to India War Joins my campaign Trump wins Following news of Pope Francis death Vance expressed his condolences on X formerly known as Twitter POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT VATICAN SAYS I was happy to see him the day before though he was obviously very ill Vance wrote in part But I ll invariably remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID It was really quite beautiful May God rest his soul Still the timing of the meeting spurred conspiracy theories and jokes online John F Kennedy s grandson even posted to his over a hundred thousand of X followers Okay JD killed the pope SNL SKIT TAKES AIM AT TRUMP S TARIFFS AND TESLA VANDALISM 'MAKE AMERICA GREAT DEPRESSION AGAIN'Vance has not responded to the online speculation directly but in an interview with Fox News Digital he reflected on the meeting as a profound moment I was one of if not the very last world leader to truly meet with the pope Vance announced I took one of my relatively junior staffers who is a devout Catholic and I looked back at him when he was about to meet the pope and he was crying--it sort of drives home how fundamental this not just this man but this institution is to over a billion people worldwide After the meeting Vance flew to India for a diplomatic visit He learned of Pope Francis passing after he landed CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREThe SNL sketch didn t stop at the Vance-pope connection It went on to mock Catholicism itself likening the religion to popular American institutions We love Catholics Johnson s Trump revealed It s one of the stronger Christian organizations along with Salvation Army and I want to say Chick-fil-A Throughout the season the long-running sketch comedy show has repeatedly questioned President Trump s faith and for their Easter-themed episode compared Trump to Jesus Their parody version of Trump saying It s me your favorite president Donald Jesus Trump comparing myself to the Son of God once again