The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, announced that they would rename the show “South America” to mock US President Donald Trump’s attempts to change geographical names. Over the weekend, Trump proposed changing the name of New Mexico to New Amerika; he had previously signed executive orders renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America and the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The changes were reflected on Apple and Google’s online maps.
In statements to The Independent, Parker and Stone said they were inspired by Apple and Google’s “courage and patriotism” and thanked their parent company Paramount (which had surrendered to Skydance).
The show’s 29th season will begin on Wednesday, September 16. On Sunday, South Park won its 5th Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program, its first since 2013. The award came after a season in which Trump was frequently targeted. The official Instagram account celebrated the victory with an image showing Trump holding an Emmy, with his pants and underwear around his ankles. Viewership increased following the mockery of Trump; the satirical portrayal was a recurring element in season 27.
Why it matters
This development shows that geographical names are not merely expressions used on maps; they can become the subject of political decisions and cultural backlash. The names used on Apple and Google maps are moving the debate out of decree texts and into everyday digital use; as a result, map users are also becoming direct participants in the debate. South Park’s reaction shows that, following a season in which Trump was targeted and the show’s Emmy success, the series is maintaining its tradition of political satire. However, questions remain open regarding the scope and permanence of the names brought to the agenda by the proposal and those used after the decrees. This distinction could be decisive in determining how both official institutions and technology platforms respond to similar name changes.
Background
Trump is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 15 news reports mentioning the name in the past 90 days; the most recent is dated September 7, 2026.