Employees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cafeteria were caught off guard on Monday when an unusual video of President Donald Trump appeared on the television screens.
The video displayed the phrase “Long Live the Real King” alongside AI-generated footage of Trump appearing to kiss Elon Musk’s feet.
A HUD employee recorded the video and shared it with journalist Rachel Cohen, who then posted it online. It remains unclear how the video ended up on government screens. HUD officials promised to investigate and take action if necessary.
“This is a waste of taxpayer money,” said HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett. “We will hold those responsible accountable.”
Musk serves as a special adviser to Trump and is leading the government’s efficiency program. However, his recent moves have caused frustration among federal employees.
One major controversy is Musk’s demand that federal workers submit a weekly report summarizing what they accomplished. His email, titled “What did you do last week?” asked employees to list five key tasks and copy their managers.
The message sparked backlash across the government, especially after Musk warned on X that failure to respond would be considered a resignation. The deadline to submit reports was Monday.
Some long-time government employees see Musk as an unelected figure making major changes. They are demanding Trump remove him.
Musk, however, appears to be embracing the controversy. At a recent Conservative Political Action Conference, he was gifted a chrome-plated chainsaw by Argentina’s President Javier Milei.
Joking about his situation, Musk said, “I’m living the meme. Some people live the dream, but I’m living the meme.”
Meanwhile, Trump has doubled down on his support for Musk’s efforts to reduce waste and inefficiency. Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump described Musk’s weekly report email as a “great idea.”