A deep fake video depicting Donald Trump licking Elon Musk’s feet played on loop across monitors at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday. The AI-generated clip, titled “Long Live the Real King,” appeared to mock their relationship, referencing Trump’s recent Truth Social post that stated, “Long live the King.”
The video’s origin remains unknown, and it is unclear whether the incident was the result of a hack or an internal prank. The footage, which played for an extended period, quickly went viral, sparking debates among users over whether it was a cybersecurity breach or a coordinated stunt.
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
Reacting to the incident, HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett told The Hill: “Another waste of taxpayer dollars and resources. Appropriate action will be taken for all involved.”
On February 19, Donald Trump celebrated his administration’s move to terminate New York City’s congestion pricing program, proclaiming himself a king in a Truth Social post. He wrote, “Congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan, and all of New York, is saved. Long live the King.”
The White House amplified this message by sharing an illustration of Trump donning a crown on a magazine cover resembling Time Magazine but labeled Trump, according to The New York Times.
Trump has consistently opposed congestion pricing, arguing that it would hurt New York’s economy. His administration officially shut down the program through a letter from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to Governor Kathy Hochul, citing concerns about its impact on working-class Americans.
Since the President’s inauguration, Elon Musk—now a key Trump ally—has gained considerable influence within federal agencies. He was appointed to head the Department of Government Efficiency, overseeing budget cuts and workforce reductions, which have resulted in thousands of federal employees losing their jobs.
On Tuesday, federal agencies issued conflicting directives regarding an email from Elon Musk, sent under Trump’s administration, instructing employees to submit a five-bullet summary of their work. Some agencies initially directed staff to comply but later backtracked, while others provided standardized responses to mitigate security concerns. Trump and Musk have advocated for stricter workplace policies, with Musk stating that failure to respond would be treated as a resignation. Additionally, Trump ordered that employees who have not adhered to his return-to-office mandate be placed on leave.
