Saturday Night Live: Alec Baldwin returns as Donald Trump for Independence Day spoof

'The aliens are laughing at us. They’re killing us and laughing at us'

After Alec Baldwin sparked concerns he may not be filling the role of Saturday Night Live's Donald Trump for much longer, the actor made one triumphant return to the show's latest episode.

Its cold open saw an Independence Day-style alien invasion demand Trump address his people, with those gathered hoping to hear a few inspiring words from their leader in this moment of absolute crisis.

Fat chance - Baldwin's Trump launched straight into his usual string of nonsensical ramblings and self-inflating proclamations, ensuring the Earth was resolutely doomed to destruction.

"The aliens are laughing at us. They’re killing us and laughing at us," Baldwin's Trump opened with; before adding this helpful plan for their defeat, "Here’s what we’re going to do, we’re going to bring coal back. You won't believe how much coal we're going to have. You'll say I never knew there could be so much coal."

The sketch took plenty of opportunities to poke fun at Trump's obsession with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Trump Hotel (whose destruction saw no casualties as no one was actually staying there), and his general cluelessness when it comes to basic political functions - as basic even as knowing the Pledge of Allegiance.

His version is, "one nacho, under Bob. . .and bupkis, play ball", in case you're wondering.

The episode saw Scarlett Johansson take on hosting duties for the fifth time, wheeling out her unnerving Ivanka Trump impression for a faux-perfume commercial.