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By Nick Mordowanec and Jason Lemon
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South Park released a teaser on Tuesday about its upcoming episode, including an image appearing to show a cartoon version of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem pointing a gun in the air.
"'Got A Nut': When Mr. Mackay loses his job, he desperately tries to find a new way to make a living," the popular adult cartoon show posted on X, featuring a couple of screenshots from the episode. "South Park's 27th season continues this Wednesday, August 6 at 10/9c on Comedy Central and next day on Paramount+."
"We want to thank South Park for drawing attention to ICE law enforcement recruitment," a DHS spokesperson told Newsweek. "We are calling on patriotic Americans to help us remove murderers, gang members, pedophiles, and other violent criminals from our country. Benefits available to new ICE recruits include an up to $50,000 signing bonus, student loan forgiveness, and retirement benefits. Apply today at join.ice.gov."
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Why It Matters
The long-running animated staple has drawn widespread attention since it started its 27th season, satirizing President Donald Trump in its premiere episode titled "Sermon on the 'Mount,'" which referenced the so-called "Epstein list," an alleged list of clients involved in sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's crimes.
The Department of Justice and the FBI have said that no "incriminating client list" exists.
The episode also depicted the president lying in bed with Satan and insinuated that he wanted to have sex with him. The depiction reportedly made Trump "seethe," according to an administration official who spoke to Deadline.
Noem, the former governor of South Dakota who became head of the DHS in January, has been one of the Trump administration officials at the forefront of enforcing widespread immigration policies, some of which have drawn strong rebuke due to the manner in which individuals are being arrested and detained.
What To Know
Images previewed by the show include the character Mr. Mackey donning a facemask and wearing a "Police ICE" vest, assumed to be part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Noem stands beside him wearing the same vest, along with a blue hat and black boots, as she points a pistol into the air.
In its preview, South Park also included a photo of character Eric Cartman dressed as Charlie Kirk, parodying the conservative activist and head of Turning Point USA.
Kirk has stated that he's embraced the depiction and even "kinda laughed," imploring conservatives to "take a joke" unlike liberals, according to an interview with Fox News.
South Park's decades-old political satire remains potent as ever, and as its co-creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, recently inked a huge payday in the form of a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount that was reached one day before the Trump-based episode aired.
That premiere garnered laughs across the political spectrum, including from podcaster Joe Rogan, who called it "hilarious."
"There's so much chaos, there's so much madness," Rogan said on the July 25 episode of his podcast. "They did a Donald Trump on with Satan."
"It's f****** hilarious," he said.
"They haven't given a f*** since the beginning, and it's the greatest show of all time," Rogan said.
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What People Are Saying
South Park co-creator Trey Parker, during a panel discussion at Comic-Con International in San Diego, commented on the episode's response with a deadpan "We're terribly sorry," before pausing for effect.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers previously told Rolling Stone that South Park "hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention. President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country's history—and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump's hot streak."
What Happens Next
Paramount and South Park are expected to continue producing new episodes as part of their long-term deal, despite the White House's criticism.
They signed a deal to extend South Park to Season 30, which should take the show up to 2027. The 26th season featured six episodes, so this season may take a similar format.
Update 8/5/25, 4 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from a DHS spokesperson.
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