If you’ve been on the internet lately, you’ve probably seen some wild stuff. But nothing quite matches the sheer, jaw-dropping weirdness of the video of Trump kissing Elons feet. It sounds like a fever dream or a bad tabloid headline. Honestly, it’s exactly the kind of thing that makes you want to scrub your eyeballs.
But here’s the thing: it actually appeared on government screens.
On February 24, 2025, employees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Washington, D.C., walked into work and saw something they couldn't unsee. Right there on the internal TV monitors—the ones usually showing boring agency updates or news—was a clip of Donald Trump appearing to grovel at, massage, and peck the bare feet of Elon Musk.
The HUD Incident: A Prank or a Protest?
People were stunned. You’ve got federal workers, many of whom are already on edge because of the Trump-Musk "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) and its aggressive cost-cutting, staring at their president in a state of total submission to a tech billionaire.
The video wasn't just a random clip. It featured a caption that read: "Long live the real king." This was a direct, snarky jab at a Truth Social post Trump had made earlier where he wrote "LONG LIVE THE KING!" regarding a policy win. By adding the word "real" and showing Trump at Musk's feet, the creators were clearly making a point about who they think is actually calling the shots in Washington.
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It wasn't a long movie. Just a 19-second loop. But it played in the cafeteria and on floor monitors.
Why did it happen then?
The timing wasn't an accident. That Monday was the first day of a mandatory return-to-office (RTO) order for many federal employees. After years of remote or hybrid work, thousands of people were forced back into their cubicles five days a week. Tension was at an all-time high.
Some employees told reporters (mostly off the record because they didn't want to get fired) that the video brought a "lot of joy" to a stressed-out office. It was basically a high-tech version of a photocopy prank, but with way higher stakes.
Is the Video of Trump Kissing Elons Feet Real?
Let’s be extremely clear: No, it is not a real video.
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It is an AI-generated deepfake. While the technology has gotten scary good, this specific video had some "telltale" signs that it was a fake. For one, if you looked closely at Elon's feet in the clip, eagle-eyed viewers on social media noticed he appeared to have two left feet.
AI still struggles with the small details. Feet, hands, and the way skin moves when it's being touched are notoriously hard for generative models to get right.
How did it get on the TVs?
This is the part that has HUD officials sweating. It wasn't just a link shared on X (formerly Twitter). It was actually broadcast inside a federal building.
- Security Breach: HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett called it a "waste of taxpayer dollars" and promised "appropriate action."
- The Hack: It’s still not entirely clear if someone physically plugged a thumb drive into the monitors or if they remotely hijacked the internal network.
- The Response: Staff eventually had to manually disconnect the screens to get the loop to stop playing.
The Power Dynamic: Why This Satire Hits Hard
The reason the video of Trump kissing Elons feet went so viral isn't just because it's gross. It's because it taps into a very real conversation happening in 2025 and 2026.
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Elon Musk has become arguably the most powerful private citizen in American history. Through DOGE, he has been given a mandate to slash government spending, fire federal workers, and "delete" entire regulations. For critics of the administration, the image of Trump—a man who prides himself on being the ultimate "Alpha"—submitting to Musk’s feet is a powerful metaphor for a presidency they feel has been outsourced to Silicon Valley.
The Role of "AI Slop" in Politics
We’re living in the era of "AI Slop." This is content created quickly and cheaply to farm engagement or make a political point.
- Satire vs. Disinformation: Some people see this as harmless parody—like a digital version of a Saturday Night Live sketch.
- Security Risks: Others see it as a terrifying proof-of-concept. If a prankster can get a foot-kissing video onto HUD screens, what happens when a foreign actor gets a fake video of a war declaration onto a military feed?
- The "Liar's Dividend": This is a term experts use to describe a world where everything can be fake. When real videos are dismissed as AI, and AI videos look real, the truth just sort of... evaporates.
What You Should Look For Next Time
If you see a video that seems too wild to be true, it probably is. Deepfakes like the Trump/Musk one are becoming part of our daily "news" cycle.
Honestly, the best way to handle these is to look for the "glitches." Look at the shadows. Look at the number of toes. Usually, the AI leaves a fingerprint.
The HUD incident ended with a lot of embarrassment for the department and a lot of laughs for the internet, but it also signaled a new chapter in political protest. We’re no longer just seeing protest signs in the streets; we’re seeing deepfakes in the hallways of power.
Actionable Insights for Navigating AI Content:
- Verify the Source: Before sharing a "viral" political moment, check if major news outlets like the AP or Reuters have confirmed its authenticity.
- Check the Anatomy: AI often fails at rendering hands, feet, and teeth. If the person in the video has six fingers or two left feet, it’s a fake.
- Report, Don't Just Repost: If you encounter deepfakes being used to spread genuine misinformation on social platforms, use the reporting tools to flag them as "Manipulated Media."
- Keep Software Updated: For those managing office networks or digital signage, ensure your systems are patched against the kind of unauthorized access that allowed this video to play at HUD.