Donald Trump freezes Lin-Manuel Miranda mid-song during “SNL” cold open: 'Look how bad he wants to do a rap'

Lin-Manuel Miranda dusted off his colonial garb and rapping skills for a surprise Saturday Night Live cameo this weekend, but because of a certain American president, the Hamilton scribe was immediately silenced mid-song.

The Timothée Chalamet–hosted episode looked deep into the past for its cold open, bringing viewers back to the day the founding fathers created the United States Declaration of Independence. And who better to communicate the importance of that moment than the Hamilton writer and star himself, reprising his famous role as the titular Alexander Hamilton.

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After an introduction from Andrew Dismukes' John Hancock, Miranda immediately took center stage. "Our lives matter not if we lose them in the cause of liberty. What matters is the nation we built. Because in America, all men are created equal," he began, launching into a rap: "America, not England, we do win the sequel / And we will have leaders, but know one thing / In America, we will never have a king."

But before he could deliver yet another Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-worthy performance, Donald Trump (played by James Austin Johnson) stepped in to steal the spotlight, freezing Miranda and all the other founding fathers in place.

"Never say never," Trump declared. "I'm in my king era.”

Alluding to the events of the past week, during which he was sworn into office for his second term as president, Johnson's Trump continued, "Just like the founding fathers, I am creating a new country as well. And just like them, we're doing it very white-ly. DEI is over — it's dead. Workplaces must go back to looking like the TV show The Office: mostly white people, but with one funny Black guy who's having a really bad time."

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He then reflected on several more actions he'd taken during his first week in office — but still made time to poke fun at the "founding fathers" frozen behind him.

"We're done with LGBT. No more drag, no more guys in wigs, no more whatever these guys were wearing,” he said, pointing in their direction. "What a weird way to dress, right? A little zesty. 'Darling, I'm off to start America! Hand me my wig and my tights and my big blousy shirts.'"

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Turning his attention back to Miranda, he taunted, "Look at Lin. Look how bad he wants to do a rap."

"He wrote a whole rap, and he doesn't get to do it," Johnson's Trump continued. "Ah, the audience would have eaten that right up. But we're not going to hear it! He's in sniffing distance of an EGOT and he's got to stand there 'til I'm done."

At this point, Miranda began to crack, clearly struggling to hold back laughter as the teasing continued. "Linnie, Linnie, Linnie, Linnie. Laura Linney. Lin-Manuel Miranda Cosgrove. There he is. He's such a mor-an."

Then, after boasting more about his first-week accomplishments, Trump changed his tune about Miranda. "Well, Lin, you've been a great sport and, frankly, a really good friend," he said. "I want to thank him for his generous, anonymous $1 million donation to my campaign. I know that was you, Lin!"

Finally unfreezing, Miranda protested, "No, it was not."

But Trump dodged that truth with his own: "Your word against mine."

Watch Miranda share the stage with "Trump" in the full sketch below. 

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