South Park will continue to take aim at the Trump administration as ICE descend on the fictional Colorado town in an upcoming episode.
A teaser for the next episode, due August 6, shows Trump seated next to Satan at a formal dinner when he reaches under the table and touches the character’s thigh. Satan then bats his hand away, telling the president to “stop!” while a presenter in the background is heard praising Trump, stating: “We want to honor the president’s courage….”
The clip also shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers descending on South Park, with longtime guidance counsellor Mr. Mackey having apparently signed up to join them.
The second episode of the long-running animated show’s latest season comes as the series is heading to Paramount+ after the show’s creators struck a $1.5 billion streaming deal. South Park will leave its current home, HBO Max, and migrate to Paramount+ as of August 5. New episodes will continue to air on Comedy Central before being made available to stream.
Despite the streaming move, co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone made it clear that they won’t be pulling any punches with the show’s explosive return to screens last month, its first episode in two years.
The episode launched a scathing critique of the president, referencing the recent cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Trump’s lawsuit against Paramount, and the prospect of government censorship.
Several moments saw Trump in bed with Satan, who confronts the president over rumors that his name appears on the “Epstein list” in reference to documents from the investigation into deceased convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The episode also took aim at Trump’s recent lawsuits, including his legal battle with Paramount over the editing of an interview with Kamala Harris, which saw the president receive $16 million in a controversial settlement.
When the people of South Park turn on Trump after Jesus is introduced as a teacher in the local school, the president sues the town’s people for $5 billion. They eventually negotiate the settlement to $3.5 billion, but as part of the deal, the town must agree to produce “pro-Trump messaging” in their public service announcements.
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Meanwhile, Parker and Stone issued a sarcastic apology to Trump who was reportedly left “seething” over the first episode of the season.
“We’re terribly sorry,” Parker said in a deadpan tone, during an appearance at the Comic-Con Comedy Central Animation panel on July 23.
The White House issued a strongly worded statement in response to the episode, with spokesperson Taylor Rogers criticizing the “hypocrisy of the Left.”
“Just like the creators of South Park, the Left has no authentic or original content, which is why their popularity continues to hit record lows,” Rogers said.
The episode in fact drew a record audience.
