Amid high anticipation, sharp criticism and calls for Trump to be dumped, the Republican presidential candidate hosted Saturday's "SNL" as scheduled.
US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump hosted NBC's comedy show "Saturday Night Live" during which he performed a number of sketches, including one in which he mocked Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
During the sketch, Pena Nieto's impersonator handed Trump a cheque in an apology for the US-Mexican War.
Earlier in the show, Trump had also been heckled by someone offstage calling him a racist.
Demonstrators marched through the streets of New York City to protest Donald Trump's views on immigration, hours before he hosted Saturday Night Live.
Dozens of protesters held signs and chanted as they marched from Trump Tower to NBC's studio in Rockefeller Plaza.
Outside Rockefeller Plaza, they chanted: "Donald Trump has got to go".
Some of the protesters said Trump's statements about immigration were racist and offensive.
NBC faced pressure from a coalition of advocacy groups calling for Trump to be dropped from SNL over his comments that cost him his role hosting The Apprentice.
The network has not responded, and Trump said he believes the controversy will boost the audience for the episode.
Trump's hosting also attracted criticism from fans on social media:
Despite a 40-year history of lampooning politicians while inviting some to mock themselves as on-air guests, booking a presidential candidate to host the NBC sketch-comedy show was almost unprecedented.
Previously, only eight politicians had served as guest hosts.
- with AP
