Former Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong made a much-anticipated surprise return to the show this weekend, reprising her iconic impression of Jeanine Pirro in the cold open.
Strong appeared alongside Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth in a chaotic and over-the-top sketch set during a Trump-era press briefing/Mother’s Day cold open. In the bit, President Trump (played by James Austin Johnson) announces Pirro’s appointment as U.S. Attorney in D.C. and calls her out to join Hegseth.
The two “old drinking buddies” — jokingly referred to as the “AA Team” — quickly turned the serious setting into pure comedy gold. Pirro (Strong) showed up with her signature wine glass in hand and hilariously sprayed Jost’s Hegseth with wine while the pair celebrated their reunion with plenty of boozy energy and spit takes.
Fans went wild for the sketch, cheering loudly when Strong walked onstage for her first appearance since leaving the cast in Season 48. Many called the reunion between Pirro and Hegseth one of the funniest moments of the episode, praising Strong’s spot-on timing and Jost’s continued strong portrayal of the unhinged Hegseth.
This marks a special return for Strong, who is also celebrating her first Mother’s Day as a new mom. Her cameo brought back one of SNL’s most beloved political impressions and paired perfectly with Jost’s recurring Hegseth character.
The sketch has already gone viral, with viewers flooding social media saying:
- “Cecily Strong as Pirro is still unmatched!”
- “The AA Team reunion was comedy perfection
” - “Bring her back every week!”
It was a nostalgic and hilarious night for longtime SNL fans. Strong’s return as the wine-loving, loud-mouthed Jeanine Pirro alongside Colin Jost’s Pete Hegseth delivered exactly the kind of chaotic energy everyone was hoping for.
