Employees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday encountered an unusual scene upon arriving at work as office televisions were broadcasting a video featuring United States President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who was portrayed as leading a fictional “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge).
The video showed Trump fervently kissing Elon Musk’s feet, accompanied by the caption, “LONG LIVE THE REAL KING.”
The unexpected display left employees shocked as they returned to the office following an executive order that ended remote work.
How The Video Emerged
Vox journalist Rachel Cohen first reported on the 19-second clip that played across HUD’s headquarters on Monday.
The footage, originally shared by an X user named Anthony Lamesa, reportedly ran on a loop for five minutes inside the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, including in common areas like the cafeteria, as journalist Maria Kabas noted.
One anonymous HUD employee told Wired that federal staff had to manually switch off each television to stop the broadcast.
Truth Behind The Video
While details remain unclear about who was responsible, media reports suggest the video was artificial intelligence (AI)-generated.
Reaction And Fallout
HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett called the incident a “waste of taxpayer dollars and resources” and assured that “appropriate action will be taken” against those involved.
Neither the White House nor Musk commented on the matter.
However, the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, controlled by Democrats, mocked the situation online, writing, “Not all heroes wear capes…” In response, HUD Secretary Scott Turner’s team dismissed the reaction, stating, “There is nothing heroic about abusing taxpayer resources.”
Notably, similar AI-generated content depicting Trump kissing Musk’s feet has circulated on social media since last year. Musk has yet to address any of them publicly.
Trump-Musk Bromance
Trump and Musk’s relationship has faced intense scrutiny since the Tesla CEO funded Trump’s 2024 campaign and secured influence in the White House through the so-called informal advisory group, DOGE.
