The Season 27 premiere of “South Park” in July 2025 began with a familiar scene: Eric Cartman, the show’s resident provocateur, was outraged. This time, his anger was directed at the Trump administration for pulling federal funding from NPR, an act he saw as stealing his own brand of vindictive humor. As the episode unfolded, other South Park residents joined Cartman in a satirical uprising against Donald Trump, portraying the president in an unflattering light.
The White House quickly dismissed the show as irrelevant and attention-seeking, but the ratings told a different story. The premiere attracted 6 million viewers on Comedy Central and Paramount+, with numbers rising in subsequent episodes. Each installment took aim at Trump and his administration, leveraging the show’s unique production schedule to deliver timely satire.
The Power of Satire in Political Discourse
“South Park” has a long history of targeting ineffectual authority figures with its sharp, timely humor. Unlike most animated series that require months of production, co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone produce episodes in just a week or two, allowing them to stay current with the news cycle. This agility enables the show to maintain its relevance and engage viewers, particularly those disenchanted with traditional media.
The show’s approach is not strictly partisan. Over the years, both liberals and conservatives have been targets of its satire. The 2006 episode “ManBearPig” mocked former Vice President Al Gore’s climate activism, while a 2014 episode was criticized for transphobic content. In 2020, “The Pandemic Special” took aim at progressive vaccine policies.
“South Park” has always thrived on skewering the powerful, regardless of political affiliation.
A History of Challenging Authority
“South Park” has never shied away from controversy. In 1999, the film “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” satirized conservative attempts to censor the show. The current season continues this tradition, drawing parallels between Trump and past figures like Saddam Hussein, whom the show depicted as a cartoonish villain.
The show’s willingness to challenge authority extends to its own network. The latest season premiered shortly after Trump’s FCC approved a merger for Paramount, the show’s parent company. This timing was no coincidence, as the administration had previously delayed the merger over a lawsuit involving “60 Minutes.”
By lampooning Trump, Parker and Stone send a clear message to Paramount: let political pressures dictate content at your own risk.
Reaching Young Voters
The Democratic Party has struggled to connect with young, internet-savvy male voters, a demographic that has drifted toward Trump. Meanwhile, “South Park” is capturing record viewership among this group. The season’s ongoing critique of Trump, from ICE raids to his penchant for flattery, resonates with these audiences.
Despite its outrageous satire, “South Park” offers a lesson for Trump’s opponents. The show’s appeal lies not in promoting positive ideas but in its ability to humiliate its targets, a tactic that has long been effective in right-wing humor.
“South Park” is now turning this strategy against Trump, potentially swaying young voters back to the Democratic fold.
While satire alone won’t win elections, it can shape public perception. By highlighting Trump’s hypocrisies and corruption in a humorous format, “South Park” may inadvertently aid Democrats in reclaiming voters lost in 2024.
As the season progresses, the show will likely continue to draw on current events, such as the Jeffrey Epstein saga, providing ample material for its brand of satire. Whether this will translate into political change remains to be seen, but “South Park” is undoubtedly influencing the conversation.
