Nikki Haley Surprises Audience With ‘SNL’ Appearance Questioning ‘Trump’

Nikki Haley joined the Saturday Night Live cast in their cold open segment. The Republican presidential candidate played the role of a concerned South Carolina voter.

During a mock CNN Town Hall, Haley stood from the audience and asked Donald Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, “Why won’t you debate Nikki Haley?”

The audience erupted in cheers while Johnson’s Trump character reacted negatively. “Oh my God, it’s her! The woman who was in charge of security on January 6. It’s Nancy Pelosi!”

Host of the mock CNN Town Hall Charles Barkley, played by Kenan Thompson, chimed in: “For the 100th time, that is not Nancy Pelosi. It is Nikki Haley!”

The line referenced Trump’s real mix-up of Haley and Nancy Pelosi last month. Trump called out Haley for her lack of security efforts on the January 6 Capitol storming, yet Haley was not in Washington at the time, nor did she serve in Congress.

Haley and Johnson went back and forth with their disses and jabs. Haley told Trump he “might need a mental competency test.” Johnson said he was competent because he was a man, and a woman should not be in charge of the economy.

Johnson also referenced the E. Jean Carroll defamation case: “In fact, a woman I know recently asked me for $83.3 million.”

At the end of the segment, an audience member, played by actress Ayo Edebiri, jokingly called out Haley for failing to acknowledge slavery as a cause of the Civil War in December.

“Yep, I probably should have said that the first time,” Haley responded.