Miles Teller took center stage as the host of Saturday Night Live this weekend, delivering sharp satire without singing a note. The actor lampooned the contentious redevelopment of the White House’s East Wing by portraying both Drew and Jonathan Scott, the twins famous for the home makeover series Property Brothers. This comedy sketch intertwined the political with pop culture, focusing on Donald Trump’s plans to expand the presidential residence.
The Sketch: A Comedic Take on Trump’s White House Redesign
In the sketch, Teller’s Drew Scott introduces their “biggest challenge yet”—constructing a new ballroom inside the White House. He remarks on the Trumps’ unusual residence history:
“Donald and Melania moved into this house nine years ago. They were evicted for four years… but they moved back in.”
After meeting Trump, portrayed by James Austin Johnson, and First Lady Melania Trump, played by Chloe Fineman, the duo tours the mansion while noting the president’s distinctive taste in decor.
Trump boasts about his design choices, including an abundance of golden urns strategically placed throughout the rooms.
“I put these gold urns everywhere,”
Trump says, clutching more urns.
“Like a hundred in every room. That makes me happy. It’s very important to be happy these days — really dark stuff happening in the world. Some of it is me,”
he adds. He also displays a crown from Asia, cheekily insisting,
“Nothing says democracy like a crown, right?”
Absurd Remodel Details and the East Wing Demolition
The parody escalates, presenting bizarre changes to the White House. The Rose Garden is redesigned to mimic outdoor seating at an Olive Garden restaurant, a portrait of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt is replaced by an image of Trump as a soldier from the Halo video game, and the mansion is decorated with eerie skeletons and dead trees, which the brothers mistakenly believe are for Halloween. “Those are for Christmas,” Melania corrects them.
The First Lady emphasizes the need for more room, complaining,
“The house is only 55,000 square feet and 132 rooms. We need more space!”
Trump stresses his desire for a ballroom to enjoy dancing, setting the stage for the renovations.
Budget, Construction, and Political Jabs
The brothers ask about the project budget, and the response is staggering:
“We asked Donald what his budget was, and he said between $350 million and infinity. And then we asked if he needed a permit, and Donald laughed really hard,”
one brother recounts,
“He said, ‘I could build this ballroom with the bones of my enemies, and no one could stop me.’”
During the remodel, the pair refers to Trump’s inspiration board, which bizarrely includes photos of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars. Lacking staff due to a government shutdown, they humorously conscript Park Rangers and astronauts to carry out the demolition. Trump confidently asserts,
“It will be ready just in time for my third term,”
while Melania declares,
“That’s right, we want this to be our forever home.”
Trump ominously adds,
“Yes, because we’re not leaving, We’re going to be doing something called ‘coup.’”
Final Scenes and Ironic Twist on Payment
As the work wraps up, one brother raises the subject of payment. Trump responds slyly, “Aren’t you guys from Canada?” before calling out “ICE!” which triggers agents to chase the twins away.
“There goes ICE. We like them. Spooky, very spooky. It’s a very spooky secret police thing,”
the sketch jokily comments on the political climate through humor.
Context Behind the Parody: Trump’s White House East Wing Remodel
The sketch parodies a real plan by Donald Trump to demolish the historic East Wing of the White House in order to build a $300 million ballroom. This would more than double the size of the residence and has faced widespread criticism, especially due to its timing during a government shutdown. Critics argue the project is an extravagant expense in difficult times. Trump defended the renovation, claiming the existing East Wing would
“hurt a very, very expensive beautiful building.”
He also insisted that he and “some friends of mine” will finance the work personally, without drawing on tax dollars amid the shutdown.
Impact and Wider Reactions
The SNL sketch brought energy to this politically charged issue, using humor to highlight the extravagance and controversial nature of the White House renovation. By spoofing the Property Brothers format, the show tapped into popular culture while underscoring public unease about the administration’s priorities. Miles Teller’s performance, alongside the portrayals by James Austin Johnson and Chloe Fineman, offered a pointed critique that aligns with the current unrest surrounding the government shutdown and presidential decisions.
As this renovation saga unfolds, public attention remains on how such projects reflect leadership values and fiscal responsibility. The parody’s sharp wit may contribute to ongoing debates about the balance between presidential legacy projects and broader government obligations.
