‘SNL’: Alec Baldwin Hits Back at President Donald Trump’s Latest Criticism

Saturday Night Live actor Alec Baldwin publicly wondered if President Donald Trump’s latest tweet about the sketch comedy show could be considered a threat to him and his family.

In this past weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live, Baldwin returned to play Trump in a cold open parodying Friday’s press conference from the Rose Garden, when Trump declared a national emergency to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Sunday morning, Trump was not happy about the sketch, suggesting that the show’s writers using their First Amendment rights was “very unfair.”

“Nothing funny about tired Saturday Night Live on Fake News NBC!” the president tweeted. “Question is, how do the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs without retribution? Likewise for many other shows? Very unfair and should be looked into. This is the real Collusion!”

A few minutes later, Trump tweeted in all capital letters, “THE RIGGED AND CORRUPT MEDIA IS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”

In response to these tweets, Baldwin wrote late Sunday night, “I wonder if a sitting President exhorting his followers that my role in a TV comedy qualifies me as an enemy of the people constitutes a threat to my safety and that of my family?”

On Monday, he added, “On Presidents Day, I am compelled to read this: definition of the word ‘retribution’: punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act.”

Baldwin also shared a New York Post article on Trump’s response to the skit. “Trump whines. The parade moves on. #resignalready,” the Emmy winner wrote.

Baldwin, who won an Emmy for playing Trump on SNL in 2017, has frequently succeeded in getting Trump’s attention with his impression. In March 2018, Trump asked SNL to bring back Darrell Hammond to impersonate him.

“Alec Baldwin, whose dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation of me on SNL, now says playing me was agony,” Trump tweeted. “Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch. Bring back Darrell Hammond, funnier and a far greater talent!”

Trump was referring to a March 2018 Hollywood Reporter interview, in which Baldwin said it was “agony” to play Trump and was not sure how much longer he could play Trump.

“I could go out on the street, stand on any corner and tap 10 people on the shoulder. And all 10 of them, in all likelihood, would be more qualified — ethically, morally, intellectually and spiritually — than Trump,” Baldwin said at the time. “I’ll vote for Mitt Romney. I don’t care. Anybody over this guy. It doesn’t matter. We have to get rid of him.”

Coincidentally, many SNL viewers have found Baldwin’s impression of Trump wearing thin. “Trump live in the Rose Garden was a million times more concerning than this parody. An Alec Baldwin parody of Trump doesn’t do justice to how utterly insane he is,” one fan wrote.

The next episode of SNL airs on NBC March 2, with John Mulaney hosting and Thomas Rhett performing.

Photo credit: NBC