AI News Monitor

In a bizarre and unsettling incident, hackers breached a television at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters on Monday morning, broadcasting a disturbing AI-generated video of former President Donald Trump caressing and kissing the feet of billionaire Elon Musk. The video, accompanied by the message “LONG LIVE THE REAL KING,” played in the agency’s cafeteria, leaving employees stunned.

The incident, first reported by Vox journalist Rachel Cohen, has sparked a wave of reactions across political and social media circles. Congressional Democrats and critics of Musk, who have taken to calling the tech mogul “President Musk” in a jab at his growing influence in government decision-making, appeared to revel in the chaos. “Not all heroes wear capes,” the House Financial Services Committee Democrats quipped on X in response to the video.

The source of the hack remains unclear, though the footage appears to have been lifted from a recent X post. HUD spokeswoman Kasey Lovett condemned the incident as a “waste of taxpayer dollars and resources,” vowing that “appropriate action will be taken for all involved.”

The prank comes amid growing public scrutiny of Musk’s role in the federal government. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cost-cutting team auditing HUD and other agencies, has faced criticism for wielding excessive influence in the executive branch. Recent polls show that a majority of Americans believe Musk, 53, has been given too much power, even as they support efforts to trim the federal budget.

The video also appears to reference Trump’s recent declaration, “Long Live The King,” made after his administration scrapped a $9 congestion toll for New Yorkers entering Manhattan. The phrase has since become a rallying cry for Trump supporters, with the White House even releasing an AI-generated mock-up of Trump crowned on a faux Time magazine cover.

Meanwhile, HUD Secretary Scott Turner has emphasized the department’s collaboration with DOGE to maximize efficiency, claiming significant savings from recovered funds and canceled contracts. “We’re going to take inventory of all of HUD’s programs and ensure every dollar that goes out of the door is advancing HUD’s mission,” Turner said earlier this month.

As investigations into the hack continue, the incident underscores the growing intersection of technology, politics, and public discourse in an increasingly digital age.