After months of spoofing Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, Kristi Noem, and other members of the current Trump Administration, South Park turned its focus on Pete Hegseth. In this season’s Thanksgiving special “Turkey Trot,” the Secretary of War — formerly known as the Secretary of Defense — is portrayed as an over-the-top, social-media-obsessed influencer who has soldiers film his escapades as he tells viewers to “like and subscribe.”
“Hey, what’s up, guys? This is Pete Hegseth with the Department of War! We’re here to infiltrate this police station and extra a POI, because that’s what we do!”
Hegseth first arrives in South Park to demand that the police force release arrested tech billionaire Peter Thiel, who was taken into custody earlier this season after holding Cartman captive. When they refuse — and literally kick him out of the station — he immediately begins making more social media videos bragging about the Department of War. This prompts a frustrated phone call from the satirized version of President Trump, who demands he get Thiel out of jail and back to the White House.
“And Hegseth, don’t just make a bunch of content. Like, actually go and do something,” Trump tells him before hanging up the phone and groaning, “God, he is such a d—–bag!”
Later in the episode, South Park takes their jokes even further when a parody of Kenny Loggins’ “Highway to the Danger Zone” plays, mocking Hegseth with the lyrics: “Acting like a tough guy, posting it around the world… Making lots of content, like a little teenage girl … Hegseth is a (expletive) d—–.”
White House Called Out ‘South Park’ in Official Statement
South Park has made a name for itself by blatantly satirizing anything or anyone considered extreme or taboo, from politics, religion, and conspiracy theories to reality stars and major Hollywood celebrities. Over the last two seasons, the show’s focus has primarily been on the current Trump Administration. While President Trump has largely remained silent on his true feelings about the comedy series, the White House released a statement in July slamming South Park as having “no authentic or original content,” per Variety.
“This show 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.”
However, when it comes to South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, they told The New York Times that they’re doing what they have always done with the show — poking fun at “any extremists of any kind.”
“We’re just very down-the-middle guys. We did it for years with the ‘woke’ thing. That was hilarious to us. And this is hilarious to us.” – Trey Parker
Watch the Season 28 finale of South Park on Dec. 10 on Comedy Central, or catch it streaming the next day on Paramount+.
- Release Date
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August 13, 1997
- Network
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Comedy Central
- Directors
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Adrien Beard
- Writers
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David A. Goodman, Nancy M. Pimental, Kenny Hotz, Philip Stark, Dave Weasel, Dan Sterling, Susan Hurwitz Arneson, Trisha Nixon, David R. Goodman, Tim Talbott, Pam Brady, Robert Lopez, Dani Michaeli, Kyle McCulloch, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Kimmel, Jane Bussmann