NEW YORK — This past weekend, “Saturday Night Live” offered a comedic take on Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary for Donald Trump, as Ashley Padilla made her debut impression during the show’s cold open.

The episode kicked off in the White House Press Briefing Room, with Padilla portraying Leavitt addressing reporters. She expressed her eagerness to handle what she claimed would be “friendly questions,” playfully declaring, “As you all know, there was no news this week.”

The audience responded with laughter as Padilla quipped, “Nothing happening with the president. No weird information was revealed. No one had any accusations that rhyme with ‘edophile.’” The comedic moment set the tone for the ensuing press conference that included pointed questions and lighthearted banter.

Chloe Fineman, portraying CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, cut in to ask about the recently released Epstein emails, which indicated a connection to Trump. “Why does President Trump’s name appear in so many of them?” she pressed.

The emails had just been disclosed by the House Oversight Committee and included assertions from Epstein suggesting that Trump was aware of various inappropriate situations involving minors. In response, Leavitt attempted to deflect the gravity of the inquiry, stating, “Look, the only thing these emails prove is that President Trump did nothing wrong. If anything, his crime was loving too much. And possibly too young.”

Padilla’s Leavitt then received an easy question from a character, humorously identified only as an “unnamed Black guy” played by newcomer Kam Patterson. He inquired about Trump’s health, eliciting gratitude from Leavitt as she assured everyone of the president’s wellbeing following his recent physical.

Another question came from Bowen Yang, portraying a reporter from MSNBC, who probed about the implications of a deal related to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate. “Are you not worried about the optics of Trump giving Maxwell a sweetheart deal?” he asked. Leavitt defended the president, invoking Maxwell’s claim that Trump always acted honorably, while asserting, “And a little thing about me? I believe women.”

Frustrated with the focus on Epstein, Leavitt prompted journalists to shift topics. However, she was immediately met with questions about Trump’s financial aid to Argentina, a move designed to assist the country’s president in settling debts. “We shall return to Epstein!” she exclaimed, underscoring the comedic emphasis on the controversial figure.

As the skit continued, Trump himself, played by James Austin Johnson, entered the press room and commandeered the briefing. He humorously addressed his relationship with Epstein, stating, “I barely knew the guy, as evidenced by the thousands of pictures of us together, dancing and grinding our teeth at various parties.”

Johnson’s Trump concluded the segment with a cheeky announcement regarding the Epstein files, claiming each would be available for purchase at the low price of $800, adding to the farcical nature of the scene.

Through clever caricatures and sharp dialogue, the sketch highlighted the intersection of comedy and real-world politics, reflecting ongoing societal conversations surrounding power, accountability, and media scrutiny.