"Sermon on the 'Mount," the first episode of Season 27 of South Park, caused a lot of trouble right away since it went after Donald Trump and his administration as well as its own network, Paramount. The episode aired on July 23, 2025, less than a day after producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone signed a big $1.5 billion streaming agreement with Paramount. The White House soon reacted strongly to it.
In this episode, Trump is shown in bed with Satan, which is a reference to the 1999 movie South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, in which Satan was dating Saddam Hussein. The performance also had gags about Trump's genitals and talks about the Jeffrey Epstein list, with Satan asking Trump about his connection to it.
The White House Roars: How Trump Reacted to South Park's Satire
The White House quickly spoke out against the episode. Taylor Rogers, a spokesperson for the White House, said in a statement that the show is "fourth-rate" and "hasn't been relevant for over 20 years." Rogers also said that the left was being hypocritical for applauding the show after saying that its material was offensive.
The White House is angry that South Park just released a new episode on Trump. Parker and Stone are back to their old tricks, hitting where it hurts!
During a Comic-Con International event, Trey Parker, one of the creators of South Park, said in a deadpan voice, "We're terribly sorry," in response to the White House's anger. He also said that producers asked for Trump's penis to be blurred in the animated version, but he said no.
The Paramount Deal and the Media Fallout: Why "South Park" Bit the Hand That Feeds It
The episode's premiere was a big deal for South Park's company at the time. Parker and Stone signed a five-year contract with Paramount only hours before the show started. The deal was said to be worth $1.5 billion and included streaming rights and 50 new episodes.
What the $1.5 Billion Paramount+ Deal Means
This huge contract means that South Park will only be available to stream on Paramount+ in the United States. The episode's timing, which directly attacks Paramount, has been a big topic of conversation.
The CBS Lawsuit, 60 Minutes, and Stephen Colbert
The program also makes fun of Paramount's $16 million deal with Donald Trump over a lawsuit against a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. In the episode, Jesus tells the people of South Park to settle their case with Trump, saying, "You guys seen what happened to CBS? Well, guess who controls CBS? Paramount. Do you really want to be like Colbert? This is about CBS's decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which they said was "purely financial." But the cancellation occurred just a few days after Colbert spoke out against Paramount's deal with Trump, which made people wonder if politics had anything to do with it.
Did South Park just bite the hand that feeds it? The jokes about Paramount and CBS after a $1.5 billion agreement are next level. I can't believe it.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) gave the green light to a transaction worth $8.4 billion between Paramount Global and Skydance Media not long after Paramount and Trump reached an agreement. This permission came after Skydance promised not to put in place diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and to fix "bias" at CBS News. Some others, including FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, are worried that the government is getting too involved in press freedom.
Looking at South Park's controversial portrayal of Trump beyond the deepfake
There are AI-made deepfakes of Trump in the episode, especially in the public service message at the end. In this public service announcement, a narrator says, "His penis is teeny-tiny but his love for us is large." The video portrays Trump wandering through a desert without any clothes on. This funny way of leveraging Trump's likeness in a humiliating way makes the show's critique stronger and goes beyond what is usually done in animation.
That South Park deepfake of Trump made by AI? It's completely crazy. No other show pushes boundaries and gets people talking like this one.
The Epstein List Gag: Is it too much or just right?
The mention of the "Epstein list" in the episode shows how willing South Park is to deal with sensitive and contemporary issues. The fact that Satan talked to Trump about the list shows how much people are still talking and thinking about the topic.
The History of South Park's Legacy: Pushing Political Buttons
South Park has been making fun of politicians for a long time, and it regularly makes fun of people from all over the political spectrum. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators, are libertarians, which means they don't trust the government and make fun of everyone equally. This way, they can critique both liberal and conservative points of view without being tied to any one ideology.
Putting "Sermon on the Mount" next to other political events
Mr. Garrison played Donald Trump in the past, especially during the 2016 presidential campaign. At first, Parker and Stone thought Trump's campaign would cease, so they changed their plots. For Season 27, though, they chose to employ a direct portrayal of Trump instead of Garrison. This shows that they are now focusing more directly on the previous president.
South Park's political satire is the best, from Mr. Garrison to the most recent episode. They really do make fun of everyone, and that's why they last.
The fact that the show is always eager to upset everyone has helped it last.
The "HeTrumpUs" Phenomenon and How People Reacted
Critics and long-time fans have praised the episode for its biting comments. Viewers have liked how blunt the parody is, especially when it comes to Trump and Paramount. Even while the search results didn't show any specific "HeTrumpUs" site or event, the episode's themes of Trump's narcissism and his link with Satan, which were similar to how Saddam Hussein was portrayed, may lead to such cultural references.
The "Sermon on the Mount" episode is a great example of contemporary satire. South Park doesn't hold back when it comes to the Paramount contract and the Epstein list. Genius.
How South Park Stays Relevant: The Art of Timely Satire
South Park is famous for its fast production schedule, which lets it deal with current events very quickly. From idea to delivery, each episode is usually made in approximately six days. Parker and Stone can add breaking news and recent conflicts to their satire because they can flip it around so quickly. This one-of-a-kind way of making the program keeps it a relevant voice in political and cultural commentary, even when dealing with complicated and quickly changing events like the Paramount-Skydance merger and what it means.
The brains behind the chaos are Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone can provide such relevant content because they are hands-on and the program is made in one building. This lets them shape each episode and respond to what happens, keeping their unique sense of humor.
What will happen next in Season 27 of South Park?
The first episode of Season 27 establishes a strong tone for the rest of the season. South Park is set to keep up its legacy of biting, unvarnished comments on current events with 50 new episodes planned as part of their Paramount pact. Parker and Stone will keep watching and reacting to the constantly changing political and cultural landscape, so fans can expect more current satire.