'South Park' Doubles Viewers with Controversial Trump, ICE Episodes

South Park Season 27 has sparked significant controversy and viewership success with its provocative portrayals of President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The season premiere mocked Trump with an animated depiction involving Satan, which led to a White House response dismissing the show as "fourth-rate" and irrelevant for over 20 years, even as the show surged to the number one streaming spot on Paramount+. The second episode, focusing on Noem and ICE, nearly doubled the premiere's broadcast ratings with 838,000 viewers, becoming one of the highest-viewed episodes in recent seasons, while also drawing criticism from Noem herself. The show’s biting political satire generated interaction on social media, including a pointed response to the Department of Homeland Security’s use of South Park imagery for recruitment. Across platforms, the show and its specials dominate Paramount+ streaming charts, underscoring its continuing cultural relevance despite official government criticism. The growing audience engagement demonstrates South Park’s impact on political discourse and entertainment in 2025.