South Park Season 27 Premiere Shatters Records Amid Trump and DHS Feuds

The animated satirists at South Park just delivered a masterclass in cultural relevance, breaking a 26-year viewership record while simultaneously roasting former President Donald Trump and clapping back at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In a week that saw federal agencies and the White House target Comedy Central’s flagship series, the show’s August 6 social media retort to DHS went nuclear—racking up 10.5 million views and 29K retweets within hours.

South Park’s Scathing Reply to DHS Recruitment Ad

When the Department of Homeland Security used South Park footage in an August 6 recruitment ad for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the show’s official X account fired back within hours: “Wait, so we ARE relevant? #eatabagofdcks.” The viral response targeted DHS’s teaser image featuring Mr. Mackey armed with an AR-15 alongside ICE agents—a nod to the show’s fictional raid plotline. This confrontation erupted just days after South Park ignited a feud with the White House through its July 23 season premiere. As reported by Variety*, the episode depicted an animated Trump in bed with Satan, lamenting his micropenis and electoral losses. The White House retaliated by calling the show “irrelevant” and a “fourth-rate show struggling for attention”—a claim spectacularly contradicted by Nielsen and Paramount+ streaming data.

Record-Smashing Premiere Defies Critics

The White House’s dismissal collapsed under viewership numbers revealing South Park’s strongest season debut since 1999. According to combined Nielsen linear ratings and Paramount+ internal reports, the July 23 premiere drew 5.9 million viewers in its first 72 hours—a 37% surge over Season 26. The momentum continued with an August 6 episode doubling down on Trump satire, showing him groping Satan’s leg at a dinner party. A 20-second clip from the episode surpassed 1 million YouTube views overnight. At San Diego Comic-Con, co-creator Trey Parker delivered a sarcastic apology: “We’re terribly sorry to anyone we may have offended… which is exactly no one here.”

Anatomy of a Viral Roast

South Park’s DHS and Trump takedowns succeeded through signature brutality:

• Political Fearlessness: The show attacked both U.S. immigration policy and a former president within weeks
• Timing: The DHS clapback exploited the agency’s own social media reach
• Meta-Humor: By mocking claims of irrelevance, South Park highlighted its enduring cultural footprint
  Industry analysts note this season’s success defies streaming-era trends. Media analyst Maria Ruiz told Deadline, “Scoring near-6 million viewers for a 27-year-old animated series is unheard of. This is satire evolving in real-time.”

Must Know

Q: Why did the White House call South Park “irrelevant”?
A: After the July 23 episode depicted Trump in bed with Satan, the White House told Variety the show was a “fourth-rate program” lacking relevance—a statement demolished by record viewership data.

Q: How did South Park respond to DHS using their footage?
A: The show’s X account tweeted: “Wait, so we ARE relevant? #eatabagofd*cks”—a response viewed 10.5 million times within 24 hours.

Q: What ratings did the Season 27 premiere achieve?
A: Per Nielsen and Paramount+ data, the episode drew 5.9 million viewers in three days, marking South Park’s biggest season debut since 1999.

Q: Has South Park targeted Trump before?
A: Yes, but Season 27’s explicit depiction of Trump with Satan—and subsequent White House backlash—created unprecedented viral moments.

The numbers don’t lie: South Park’s season 27 premiere didn’t just defy cancellation rumors—it delivered the show’s most-watched opener in 26 years while sparring with the highest levels of U.S. power. In an era where satire often gets muted, Parker and Stone proved that punching up still draws blood… and record audiences. New episodes air Wednesdays on Comedy Central and Paramount+.