Darrell Hammond Explains Why SNL Switched To Alec Baldwin’s Trump Impression

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No impression on Saturday Night Live has received more attention than that of Donald Trump. Several performers – including Darrell Hammond, Alec Baldwin, and currently James Austin Johnson – have played the former President on the show. The change from Hammond to Baldwin before the 2016 election was particularly controversial, and Hammond recently explained the reasons behind it and how he felt about being replaced.

Alec Baldwin told Entertainment Weekly he initially disliked the new direction of his Trump impression. However, he understood showrunner Lorne Michaels’ decision, explaining the show aimed for a bolder, more attention-grabbing take – something different from the gentler Trump portrayal audiences were used to. While admitting it was difficult to accept, Baldwin acknowledged the choice ultimately worked, generating significant media coverage.

Lorne Michaels is a demanding person, but he’s not intentionally unkind. I believe he only made that decision because he felt it was necessary. It was a time when social media and platforms like YouTube were becoming popular, and there was a lot of pressure to create viral content constantly. He took a risk creatively, and it worked out. Personally, I didn’t agree with it, but this is the NFL, after all. While Saturday Night Live is known for being fun and funny, it’s ultimately a business, not a charity.

Hammond portrayed Trump as an exaggerated, comical figure – someone out of touch with reality, but also amusing and strangely likable. While the depiction wasn’t flattering, it avoided being outright harsh or malicious.

This portrayal was widely enjoyed in the 1990s and early 2000s, when Trump was a well-known celebrity and real estate developer. However, during his initial presidential campaign, some believed the depiction wasn’t strong enough and needed to present him as more of an antagonist. To refresh the approach, Alec Baldwin, a frequent performer, was brought on board.

Honestly, his take on Trump was intense. He didn’t just impersonate him, he really leaned into portraying him as outright villainous, exaggerating those strange ways he talks and moves. Those sketches became huge – everyone was talking about them! But it also made the show way more controversial and, unfortunately, stuck with a reputation for being politically biased, and that’s been tough to overcome ever since.

After the 2020 election, Alec Baldwin stopped playing Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, and fellow cast member James Austin Johnson took over the role. Johnson’s portrayal combines elements of both Baldwin’s and Darrell Hammond’s previous versions. Many consider it the most realistic of the three, particularly in how he looks and speaks. Johnson’s Trump offers political commentary, often critical, while still managing to be humorous and relatable, capturing what has made the former president so captivating. SNL is likely to continue using this impression for the foreseeable future, as long as Johnson remains on the show.

Even though it was challenging for Hammond to step away from doing the Trump impression, he still has a good working relationship with Lorne Michaels and the show. He continues to be the official announcer and is willing to appear on screen again in the future. Hopefully, we’ll see him back in another role, even if it’s not as the President.

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2025-11-14 20:38