Pete Hegseth became a trending search in the United States after Saturday Night Live brought back Colin Jost's exaggerated impersonation of the defense secretary in a sketch targeting Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
The October 3 cold open portrayed Republican strategists struggling to create campaign messages, bringing out satirical versions of several prominent political figures, including Marco Rubio, Mitch McConnell, JD Vance and President Donald Trump.
But Hegseth's appearance quickly became one of the most talked about moments.
Colin Jost returned as Hegseth carrying a can of Bero, the nonalcoholic beer brand co founded by Spider Man star Tom Holland. The character then dramatically chugged the drink while mocking both the product and Hegseth's tough guy image.
Variety reports that the sketch also parodied Hegseth's recent public rhetoric about the U.S. military, turning it into an intentionally bizarre piece of slam poetry.
The segment was part of a broader political satire focused on Republican concerns ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Marcello Hernández appeared as Marco Rubio, Mikey Day portrayed Mitch McConnell and Jeremy Culhane played JD Vance. James Austin Johnson later entered as Trump, with the sketch mocking campaign promises and Republican attempts to motivate voters.
Hegseth was not finished as an SNL target.
During Weekend Update, Michael Che also joked about new military rules associated with the defense secretary, giving Hegseth another prominent mention during the broadcast.
The episode was hosted by Dakota Johnson, with Turnstile appearing as musical guest. Taylor Swift also made a surprise cameo during the show, adding further attention to an episode already dominated by celebrity appearances and political satire.
The renewed attention around Hegseth shows how quickly a television comedy sketch can spill into search behavior, with viewers turning to Google to find out more about the real person behind the parody.
