3 min read
A bizarre deepfake video featuring President Donald Trump kissing and rubbing Elon Musk’s feet was mysteriously broadcasted on multiple screens inside the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday.
The AI-generated clip, which appeared on a continuous loop, was accompanied by the phrase “Long Live the Real King,” mirroring a recent social media post by Trump where he declared, “Long live the King,” with an illustration of himself wearing a crown.
WOW! This actually just happened!
The Monitors were just hacked at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to display an AI video of Trump licking Elon Musk’s toes.
The caption over it read: “LONG LIVE THE REAL KING.” pic.twitter.com/11JWuH2XfZ
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) February 24, 2025
Unexplained Breach and Immediate Response
Federal employees arriving for work were met with the unusual footage, which reportedly played across several monitors throughout the building. According to internal sources, HUD staff had to manually turn off each screen to stop the video. The origin of the breach remains unknown, and officials have yet to determine who was responsible for hijacking the agency’s digital displays.
A HUD spokesperson, Kasey Lovett, condemned the incident, calling it “another waste of taxpayer dollars and resources,” while affirming that “appropriate action will be taken for all involved.”
Political Context and Online Reactions
The timing of the video coincided with the Trump administration’s push for a return-to-office mandate for federal employees, ending remote work policies. Monday marked the first day all HUD workers were required to be back in the office full-time. The footage also surfaced just days after Elon Musk, who has been involved in federal government restructuring efforts under Trump’s administration, demanded that federal employees submit a summary of their weekly accomplishments—failure to comply would reportedly be treated as a resignation.
The incident quickly sparked reactions across social media. Many users found humor in the surreal nature of the video, while others speculated about potential political motivations. One X (formerly Twitter) user quipped, “Pam Bondi is probably launching an investigation into who insulted Trump,” while another referenced Musk’s past CPAC appearance with a chainsaw, joking that he might take similar action against the HUD monitors.
My god, this is brilliant.
Someone hacked the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) TV screens and played this video.
As I type this, Pam Bondi is probably launching an investigation into who insulted Trump. pic.twitter.com/IpUjNgvsce
— JΛKΣ (@USMCLiberal) February 24, 2025
Security Concerns and Lack of Immediate Answers
Despite immediate efforts to shut down the unauthorized broadcast, questions remain about how the HUD system was compromised. Internal IT teams were unable to identify the breach’s source in real time, and as a result, agency staff resorted to unplugging affected screens manually.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has not issued an official statement regarding how the monitors were accessed or whether additional security measures will be implemented to prevent future incidents. Musk himself has yet to publicly address the deepfake video.
This isn’t the first time deepfake technology has been used in politically charged contexts. The increasing sophistication of AI-generated media raises concerns about misinformation, cybersecurity, and the potential for such videos to be used for manipulation or public embarrassment.
As HUD investigates the security breach, the incident serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities in government digital infrastructure and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in modern political discourse.
