"Saturday Night Live" went after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth again this week.

Colin Jost returned as a rowdy Hegseth in the Oct. 10 cold open, Variety reported. The sketch showed the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln returning home after nearly a year at sea. Before seeing their families, the sailors were told they first had to hear from "the guy who put you on the boat in the first place."

Jost's Hegseth wore an ammunition belt stuffed with tiny bottles of Fireball cinnamon whisky. The sketch also took shots at Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the botched execution of Christa Pike, Variety said.

The real Lincoln spent 265 days at sea with no port visit, amid reports of poor conditions and low morale, Deadline reported. President Donald Trump dismissed those concerns.

Comedian Shane Gillis hosted the show for the third time. NBC hired and then fired him in 2019 after old clips surfaced of him using racist slurs. He has since become one of the biggest names in stand-up.

His monologue drew mixed reviews. Gillis joked about needing to lose weight and feeling out of place at a New York gym. He also shared the nickname podcasters Joe Rogan and Theo Von gave him: "gas station egg," The Hollywood Reporter reported.

Variety was harsh. Its headline said Gillis "bombs" the monologue "again," calling it "meandering."

Spanish singer Rosalía was the musical guest.

"SNL" is in its 52nd season. Political sketches about the Trump administration remain a big part of the show.

What we know: Colin Jost played Hegseth welcoming home the USS Lincoln crew.
What we don't: whether Hegseth or the White House will respond.