Trump White House Slams ‘South Park’ After Controversial Episode

In a recent episode of South Park, the animated series took a bold jab at Donald Trump, depicting him in a rather unflattering light.

The episode, which aired on Wednesday night, didn’t shy away from controversy, portraying Trump in bed with Satan, a role previously held by Saddam Hussein on the show, per Rolling Stone. This portrayal has sparked a fiery response from the Trump White House, which has labelled the show “fourth-rate” and accused it of lacking originality.

Taylor Rogers, a spokesperson for the Trump administration, expressed disdain for the episode, criticising the Left for its perceived hypocrisy. Rogers stated, “The Left’s hypocrisy truly has no end — for years they have come after South Park for what they labelled as ‘offensive’ content, but suddenly they are praising the show.” The spokesperson further claimed that the show is clinging to relevance with uninspired ideas, while asserting that President Trump has achieved more in his tenure than any other president.

Interestingly, the episode’s timing coincides with Paramount’s recent acquisition of global streaming rights for South Park, a deal valued at $1.5 billion (US) over five years. This development highlights the enduring appeal of the series, despite the White House’s dismissal of its relevance. The episode also touched on the reported arrangements involving Trump and Paramount, specifically skewering the alleged PSA agreement with a humorous AI-generated scene.

Trump’s relationship with pop culture has long been contentious, with the president frequently engaging in public spats with late-night television and its corporate backers. This tendency to wage war on media outlets is seen as part of a broader strategy of authoritarianism and fear, as observed by political commentators.

Meanwhile, Trump recently secured a substantial settlement from Paramount, following a lawsuit against CBS News’ 60 Minutes. The lawsuit, which Trump claimed involved selective editing to favour Kamala Harris, resulted in a payout contributing to his presidential library fund. The settlement is part of a pattern of major corporations resolving Trump’s lawsuits by funnelling millions into his initiatives.

The South Park episode concluded with a satirical PSA, featuring a nude Trump wandering the desert, further amplifying the show’s critique of the reported PSA arrangement. Paramount has faced criticism for its perceived alignment with Trump, particularly following the departure of the executive producer of 60 Minutes and the termination of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.