Saturday Night Live is under fire after a cast member cracked ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’ about Trump attending a play – an unmistakable nod to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

During Friday’s ‘Weekend Update,’ comedian Michael Che took aim at the president’s visit earlier this week to the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, where he attended the opening-night showing of Chicago.

‘President Trump attended the opening night of Chicago at the Kennedy Center and I think that’s cool,’ Che said during the skit. 

‘The president is going to the theater…I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?’

The internet blew up as viewers caught that Che’s joke hinted that Trump – who was already been subject to two assassination attempts on American soil – could face the same fate as former President Abraham Lincoln.

‘President in a theater… it took me a min, but I got it,’ one user wrote on X, adding laughing-face emojis.

It was April 14, 1865 – over a century and a half ago – when Lincoln and his wife took their seats in the Presidential Box at Ford’s Theatre to enjoy the comedy Our American Cousin.

John Wilkes Booth, a regular performer at the theater who discovered that Lincoln was in the house that morning, slipped into the vestibule of the box during the final act of the performance. 

Actor Harry Hawk captivated the audience with the ‘laugh line’: ‘Not accustomed to the manners of good society, eh? Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, old woman; you damned old sockdologizing man-trap!’

SNL cast member Michael Che said: ‘President Trump attended the opening night of Chicago at the Kennedy Center and I think that’s cool. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?’

Trump visited the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, where he attended the opening-night showing of Chicago

Che’s joke hinted that Trump could face the same fate as former President Abraham Lincoln

The crowd was in stitches, oblivious, as Booth used the distraction to enter the Presidential Box and fire a single, deadly shot into Lincoln’s head. 

‘Just as I finished these lines and was standing towards the front of the President’s box, the shot was fired,’ Hawk recalled of the moment, according to the theater’s website.

‘I turned, looked up at the President’s box,’ he added. ‘I saw a man with a long dagger in front of the box.’ 

The live audience in New York City erupted in laughter at Che’s reference to the 16th US president, but online outrage was immediate, with critics accusing the show of ‘advocating political violence.’

‘Che jokes about Trump being assassinated. There is no premise or punchline other than he went to a theater, what’s the worst that can happen?’ one user wrote on X.

‘The audience erupted in cheers. Not applause, not laughter, cheers,’ the comment added. ‘The outright advocacy of political violence is now common.’

Another response read: ‘Please, someone watch out for Michael so he doesn’t get disappeared tonight during the show. And then avoid him after the show because he’s definitely getting disappeared by Homeland Security after his Trump theater joke.’

‘Not a fan of the guy at all, but that joke about Trump at a theater and the audience cheering was not cool,’ said another. 

On April 14, 1865, Lincoln and his wife took their seats in the Presidential Box at Ford’s Theatre to enjoy the comedy Our American Cousin

John Wilkes Booth entered the Presidential Box and fired a single, deadly shot into Lincoln’s head

Critics accused SNL and Che of ‘advocating political violence’

Meanwhile, on Facebook, one user called Che ‘the lesser-talented’ cast member and slammed him as a ‘real f**ing funny douchebag.’

‘Considering this President – OUR PRESIDENT – was the victim of multiple assassination attempts, one of which he was actually struck by a f***ing bullet… WTF! This is not okay,’ the post read.

‘We know this was not a one-off, and we know this mediocre, generically-sanctimonious oxygen-waster Che, and others like him, who traffic in such garbage, are not saying any of it “lighthearted” or in fun,’ it added.

‘Therefore they should absolutely be called out, and we should shine a light on their malevolent darkness, whenever possible.’

The Friday edition of SNL centered almost entirely on Trump and the whirlwind of developments involving his inner circle over the past week – including the administration’s take on its so-called successes in Iran.

During a recent national address, the president declared that the US had ‘beaten and completely decimated Iran’ and vowed to bomb the Islamic Republic ‘back to the stone ages.’

In response, cast member Colin Jost said: ‘In the spirit of Easter, let me just say: Jesus Christ.’

Che jumped in, mocking the administration’s ‘little journey’ description of the war, saying, ‘little journeys are all anyone can afford now,’ while showing a graphic of the country’s exploding gas prices. 

The segment also touched on the firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi after MAGA fury erupted over her botched handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Jost joked that Bondi had been asked to ‘redact herself’ from the position, before hitting harder: ‘The only person Trump has ever trusted to handle the Epstein situation is a prison guard with the cameras off.’

Naturally, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wasn’t spared after a turbulent month dominating the news.

Not only did Noem fall first among Cabinet casualties, but the Daily Mail revealed her husband’s secret life as a cross-dresser, complete with a fondness for enormous fake breasts. 

The exclusive images obtained by the outlet were allegedly part of Bryon Noem’s ‘bimbo’ fetish.

Cast member Sarah Sherman stole the scene as Bryon Noem, wearing pink biker shorts and oversized balloon breasts. 

‘Hey Michael, my eyes are up here, my nipples are out here,’ Sherman joked as she addressed Che during the skit.

‘I dare you to kink shame me on national TV about my insane clown juggalows and tiny, teeny, little pink bike shorts,’ she continued.

The segment talked about the firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi, where comedian Colin Jost said she had been asked to ‘redact’ herself from the job

Cast member Sara Sherman dressed as Bryon Noem during the show, complete with pink biker shorts and oversized balloon breasts

The Daily Mail revealed Noem’s husband’s secret life as a cross-dresser, complete with a fondness for enormous fake breasts

Cast member Ashley Padilla cocked a rifle while posing as the former secretary herself

The sketch then referred to an excerpt of Kristi Noem’s 2024 book No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward, in which she disclosed shooting and killing her dog. 

‘What about my wife, Kristi Noem? Anything to add about my sweater puppies?’ Sherman said.

‘Did someone say puppies?’ responded cast member Ashley Padilla as she cocked a rifle while posing as the former secretary herself.