Tom Hanks’ Controversial Portrayal of Donald Trump Supporters In ‘SNL’ Skit Gets Ripped by MAGA Trolls
“Saturday Night Live” may have leaned too liberal with their depiction of Donald Trump’s MAGA supporters during the show’s star-studded 50th anniversary special. Among the superstar alums like Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock who made guest appearances was A-list actor Tom Hanks.
Hank reprised his character Doug, a squinty-eyed Trump supporter who wore a red MAGA hat and an unbuttoned long-sleeve denim shirt with a white tee with a bald eagle and American flag emblazoned it.
The Academy Award winner participated in a “Black Jeopardy” skit alongside Kenan Thompson, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Murphy, and Rock. At one point, Doug correctly identifies “religious character” as the Church Lady.
“If more folks went to church, we wouldn’t be in this mess we’re in now,” said Doug after being told he’d answered the question correctly.
The “Black Jeopardy” host, Darnell Hayes played by Thompson, agreed and walked over to shake his hand. However, the MAGA supporter shuddered with distaste as Thompson approached his podium. Hanks further backed away with his hands held up high whilst saying, “I don’t like that.”
At 68, Tom Hanks plays a Boomer MAGA all too well, and real-life MAGA got so mad at the accuracy, lmao. https://t.co/EOtFP9DDkr
— Donald Trump is a white DEI hire (@Needle_of_Arya) February 17, 2025
Hayes reassured him it was just a handshake, and only then did Doug, who appeared fearful and shaken up, extend his arms and reach out to exchange the pleasantry. Hanks acted out almost the exact same reaction nine years earlier when he first participated in the skit in 2016.
During that run, Doug is somewhat embraced by his two Black female contenders and the host for not only being well-versed on Black culture and colloquiums but also for sharing some like beliefs, such as distrust in the government.
Laughs from the audience were heard throughout the comedy bit, but online, a war of words brewed as Trump’s supporters called foul.
Hanks’ caricature of MAGA devotees especially struck a nerve with those who deemed his expression of racism “insulting” and that it “stereotyped a large group.”
A disappointed viewer commented, “Another actor forgetting why they are, where there are in life. And now he insults a huge majority of people who supported him in getting to that point.”
“This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter. Trump won the popular vote. This tired trope that MAGA is racist is disgusting. SNL is an unfunny show for snobbish liberal elites,” a critic tweeted, adding, “Good riddance, SNL!”
However, a second user found the humor and honesty in extremist Doug. They typed, “This Tom Hanks SNL skit as a Trump Supporter subject kinda hilarious…….he been doing this s–t and now y’all mad because he ‘didn’t want to shake a black man’s hand’ in the segment claiming that doesn’t happen…..in which this happened to me several times at my job.”
“We have never turned to a simplistic, self-involved gasbag of a candidate.”
National treasure Tom Hanks has some choice words for Trump: pic.twitter.com/9DXwRute7x
— Splinter is on Bluesky (@splinter_news) October 13, 2016
In the anniversary sketch’s defense, a viewer wrote, “Doug, the white MAGA man finds common ground with black Americans. The sketch humanized Trump voters. The crowd didn’t seem to recognize Doug in the SNL 50th episode and it fell flat.”
On a number of occasions, the “Saving Private Ryan” star spoke optimistically of his hopes that America would not be steered wrong under a Trump administration.
When he was first voted president in 2016, Hank told The Hollywood Reporter, “I hope the president-elect does such a great job that I vote for his reelection in four years.”
However, when the Republican’s reelection campaign was labeled a threat to democracy, Hanks told CNN his faith was in the Constitution’s promise to shape a better a country for all, steering clear of directly badmouthing Trump.
