Federal workers at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) arrived at their offices Monday morning to find a bizarre AI-generated video playing on screens throughout the building. The 19-second clip, which depicted President Donald Trump kissing the feet of billionaire Elon Musk, was displayed on a loop for several minutes before officials scrambled to remove it.
The footage, captioned "Long live the real king," appeared across multiple floors, including in the cafeteria, according to journalist Maria Kabas. "Building staff couldn't figure out how to turn it off, so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs," Kabas reported, citing an unnamed source within the agency.
The apparent hacking incident coincided with the first day that HUD employees were required to return to in-person work under a new executive order ending remote work policies. HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett condemned the breach. "Another waste of taxpayer dollars and resources," Lovett said in a statement to The Independent. "Appropriate action will be taken for all involved."
Video of Trump kissing “real king” Elon Musk’s feet played on US Govt screens in hack pic.twitter.com/CadiUk4BAd — Mike Topp (@MikeTopp) February 24, 2025
The origins of the cyberattack remain unclear, though the video's subject matter has fueled speculation about internal dissent within the agency. The stunt came amid widespread discontent over federal workforce reductions spearheaded by Musk through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been tasked with cutting government staffing and expenses.
Trump and Musk have maintained a close relationship since the Tesla and SpaceX CEO became one of the president's most influential financial backers. Musk, who has leveraged his position to secure an outsized role in policy decisions, recently joined Trump in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity to dispel rumors of a rift between them.
"Actually, Elon called me. He said, 'You know they're trying to drive us apart,'" Trump recalled during the interview. "I said, 'Absolutely.'" Hannity interjected: "This is going to be hard. I feel like I'm interviewing the two brothers."
Despite their public alliance, political analysts have questioned whether the partnership is sustainable. Politico columnist Jonathan Martin suggested Musk's influence could eventually threaten Trump's dominance. "The Trump Show is a one-man play," Martin wrote. "And there's not room for anybody else, least of all somebody wealthier and with a (nearly) comparable thirst for attention."
The hacking incident at HUD also comes amid controversy over the administration's deep staffing cuts at the agency. With Musk's backing, Trump has moved to slash federal employment rolls, targeting more than 4,000 positions at HUD alone. The reductions, which impact disaster recovery, rental subsidies, and housing discrimination investigations, have been met with fierce resistance from career federal employees and housing advocates.
Some have interpreted the phrase "Long live the real king" as a nod to Trump's recent declaration of himself as a "king" on Truth Social, where he took credit for the reversal of New York City's congestion pricing plan. Others suspect the message was meant as a pointed critique of Musk's growing influence in the White House.
