Employees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were left stunned on Monday when an unexpected video appeared on their cafeteria TV screens. The footage, featuring AI-generated imagery of President Donald Trump kissing billionaire Elon Musk’s feet, played on repeat with the words “Long Live the Real King” emblazoned across the screen.
A mystery infiltration
Footage of the hacked broadcast quickly spread online after being shared with journalist Rachel Cohen, who posted it on social media. The origins of the video and how it made its way onto government screens remain unknown, but HUD officials have vowed to take action.
“Another waste of taxpayer dollars and resources. Appropriate action will be taken for all involved,” HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett told DailyMail.com.
Musk’s growing influence sparks backlash
Musk, serving as a special adviser to Trump, has been leading the administration’s controversial DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) initiative, which has already drawn sharp criticism from federal employees. His latest move—a mandatory email requiring workers to list their weekly accomplishments—has further escalated tensions.
The subject line of the email, “What did you do last week?”, ordered recipients to reply with “approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and CC your manager.” Musk warned that failure to comply would “be taken as a resignation.” The deadline for responses was Monday.
Federal workers push back
Government employees have expressed outrage over Musk’s sweeping demands, accusing him of acting as an “unelected dictator.” Many are now calling on Trump to fire the billionaire adviser, claiming his cost-cutting measures are nothing more than a purge of longtime bureaucrats.
Trump and Musk dismiss criticism
Despite the uproar, Musk remains unfazed. At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he reveled in his role within the administration, boasting about the chrome-enhanced chainsaw he received as a gift from Argentina’s President Javier Milei. “I am become meme. Yeah, pretty much. I’m just, I’m living the meme,” Musk joked.
Trump, meanwhile, has stood firmly by his adviser. Speaking from the Oval Office, the president praised Musk’s controversial email, calling it “great.”
As the investigation into the hacked government TVs continues, the debate over Musk’s role in the administration—and his disruptive influence—only grows more intense.
