Harris roasts Trump with help from the SNL icon in a recorded speech at the Al Smith dinner

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email to get exclusive U.S. reporting and analysis delivered straight to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Kamala Harris roasted Donald Trump with the help of Saturday Night Live Icon Molly Shannon during a recorded speech shown at the Al Smith Charity Dinner in New York City.

The vice president skipped the star-studded charity dinner to campaign in Wisconsin, but instead appeared via video address alongside Shannon, who reprized her “superstar” Catholic schoolgirl character Mary Katherine Gallagher.

In the skit, Harris took a swipe at Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results and brought up his comments calling Detroit “a mess” in a speech at the Detroit Economic Club last week.

Harris, who is the first major party presidential candidate to skip the event in decades, asked Shannon's character for advice on what to say in her dinner speech.

“Do not lie. “You shall not bear false witness as to why neighbor,” the comedian replied.

“Indeed, especially your neighbor’s election results,” Harris said in a joke aimed at Trump.

Shannon added, “Don’t say anything negative about Catholics.”

Harris replied: “I would never do that no matter where I was. That would be like criticizing Detroit in Detroit.”

Shannon asked Harris one final question: “Does it bother you that Trump guy keeps insulting you?”

“Oh Mary Katherine,” Harris replied. “You should never let anyone tell you who you are, but tell them who you are.”

After Shannon left, Harris took the opportunity to address the room directly and deliver a more serious message.

“The Al Smith Dinner provides a rare opportunity to put partisanship aside and come together to do something good by supporting the tremendous charitable work of the Catholic Church,” she said.

“In the spirit of tonight’s dinner, let us once again strive to reach across divides and seek understanding and common ground.”

During his personal speech at the dinner, Trump also took digs at Harris, citing the vice president's absence.

“But I have to say, I was shocked when I heard that Kamala skipped the Al Smith dinner,” Trump said. “I was really hoping she would come because we can't get enough of hearing her beautiful laugh. She laughs like crazy. We would recognize it anywhere in this room.”

In a more pointed swipe at Harris and President Joe Biden, Trump said: “We have someone in the White House who can barely speak, can barely put two coherent sentences together, who appears to have the mental capacity of a child, is a person who … has no intelligence at all – but enough about Kamala Harris.”

At the glittering charity event, Trump and his wife Melania met friends – and avoided enemies, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, who sat very close behind him. James was responsible for initiating the $454 million civil fraud case against Trump, which his team is appealing.

Several well-known politicians also took part in the charity event. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer both attended and sat next to the former president.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was also in attendance despite his own legal troubles after he was charged with alleged bribery.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. showed his face alongside his wife, Cheryl Hines, at a time when he is at the center of a scandal involving journalist Olivia Nuzzi, who has been placed on leave New York Magazine after disclosing a “personal relationship” with him.