Taran Killam remembers Trump on 'SNL,' calls him a moron

God save the King!?
 By 
Proma Khosla
 on 
Taran Killam remembers Trump on 'SNL,' calls him a moron
Credit: Abel Fermin/REX/Shutterstock

As a comedian and actor, Taran Killam has no problem speaking out against the current administration, and was quick to do so in a recent interview with Brooklyn magazine.

In a profile about Killam's current stint with Hamilton and the evolution of his career, reporter Evan Romano noted that Killam joined Hamilton just after the cast garnered the attention of Mike Pence and Donald Trump.

"Yeah, well, the president is a moron," Killam said in reply.

Killam left SNL in 2016, which means he was part of the regular cast when Trump hosted in November 2015, a year before the election.

"It was not fun, and most of the cast and writers were not excited to have him there," Killam recalls in the interview. "I didn’t get the feeling that he was excited to be there, and it felt like a move for ratings from both sides."

Trump's hosting was met with protesters in the streets and immediate social media backlash. When SNL began changing its tune in 2016, Samantha Bee called out NBC as a whole for previously normalizing and enabling Trump.

"He was…everything you see," Killam added. "What you see is what you get with him, really. I mean, there was no big reveal. He struggled to read at the table read, which did not give many of us great confidence. Didn’t get the jokes, really. He’s just a man who seems to be powered by bluster."

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Topics SNL Donald Trump

Mashable Image
Proma Khosla

Proma Khosla is a Senior Entertainment Reporter writing about all things TV, from ranking Bridgerton crushes to composer interviews and leading Mashable's stateside coverage of Bollywood and South Asian representation. You might also catch her hosting video explainers or on Mashable's TikTok and Reels, or tweeting silly thoughts from @promawhatup.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You

'SNL UK' cold open mocking Keir Starmer gets shared by Donald Trump
A worried man sits behind a desk.

Verizon outage may have impacted 911 calls
The Verizon logo on a building.

'SNL' Cold Open presents the Trump Awards
Man in Trump costume holding an oscars' like statue

'SNL' returns with another Trump Cold Open
James Austin Johnson dressed as Donald Trump

More in Entertainment
How to watch Chelsea vs. Port Vale online for free
Alejandro Garnacho of Chelsea reacts

How to watch 'Wuthering Heights' at home: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi's controversial romance now streaming
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi embracing in still from "Wuthering Heights"

How to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers online for free
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders warms up

How to watch Mexico vs. Belgium online for free
Israel Reyes of Mexico reacts

How to watch Brazil vs. Croatia online for free
Vinicius Junior #10 of Brazil leaves

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

What's new to streaming this week? (April 3, 2026)
A composite of images from film and TV streaming this week.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!