‘South Park’ Creators Explain Why They’re Going After Trump So Hard

by

As a longtime fan, I’ve noticed that South Park really hasn’t let up on Donald Trump in its latest seasons, and it doesn’t look like they plan to. The show’s always been great at poking fun at everyone in politics, but lately, they’ve been really focused on Trump, his people, his policies, and the whole mess that’s unfolded since the 2024 election. They’re not holding back, and honestly, it’s some of their sharpest satire in years.

While recent politically charged episodes have boosted ratings, the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, say they’re just continuing the show’s long-standing tradition of satirizing controversial subjects. In an interview with The New York Times, Stone explained that criticizing the Trump administration started to feel risky. He hinted this was due to the administration’s habit of publicly criticizing news organizations and personalities—like NBC, CBS, and Jimmy Kimmel—who dared to publish negative stories about the president.

“It’s not that we got all political. It’s that politics became pop culture.” – Trey Parker

Stone joked that he and Parker are naturally drawn to controversial or forbidden things, comparing their attraction to it to flies being attracted to honey. He said they can’t help but be interested when they encounter something ‘taboo’.

Parker explained that they aim for humor that appeals to everyone. They enjoy poking fun at people on all sides of any issue, and they’ve been doing this for years – recently with those considered ‘woke,’ and now with current topics. They find it all very funny.

‘South Park’ Makes Fun of Everyone — Even Itself


Paramount+

Throughout its run, South Park hasn’t shied away from parodying Democrats, including figures like Barack Obama and the Clintons. Creator Trey Parker has also pointed out that the show regularly satirizes overly sensitive or “politically correct” behavior, famously through the character of PC Principal, who pushes for more considerate language and actions at school. And since the late 1990s, South Park has broadened its targets to include reality TV stars, Hollywood celebrities, and major religious groups.

“We just had to show our independence somehow.” – Matt Stone

What I really appreciate about Stone and Parker is they’re not afraid to poke fun at themselves. I remember in the Halloween episode, Stan actually breaks the fourth wall and seems to address the criticism South Park has gotten for focusing so much on politics. It’s a clever move, acknowledging the complaints while still being, well, South Park.

He’s frustrated with the show’s recent direction, saying, ‘It feels like one problem after another.’ He believes many people secretly agree that ‘South Park’ has declined in quality, and attributes this to its focus on politics.

We’ve really lost track of what’s important and gotten caught up in everything else. It feels like a long time since it was just the two of us, doing our own thing. Since all this political stuff started dominating our time, I feel like we’ve drifted apart. Kenny, I haven’t even heard you share your thoughts in months.

Catch South Park on Wednesdays on Comedy Central or streaming the next day on Paramount+.

Read More

2025-11-11 19:19