Politics in 2026 is a fever dream. Honestly, if you told someone five years ago that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would start its work week by broadcasting a video of the President of the United States worshiping a tech billionaire’s toes, they’d probably ask what you were smoking. But that’s exactly what happened in February 2025.
The phrase trump kissing elon musks feet exploded across search engines and social feeds for a reason. It wasn't just a random meme. It was a high-fidelity deepfake that bypassed security and played on internal monitors at a federal agency. It felt real. It looked weirdly high-res. And most importantly, it captured the exact anxiety people feel about the power dynamic between Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
The Morning the HUD Screens Went Wild
Picture this: It's a Monday morning in D.C. Federal employees are shuffling into the HUD headquarters, probably thinking about coffee or the latest round of budget cuts. Suddenly, the lobby monitors and cafeteria TVs—the ones usually showing lunch menus or boring agency announcements—flicker.
Instead of a "Welcome Back" message, they see Donald Trump on his knees. He’s focused, almost reverent, as he appears to massage and kiss the bare feet of Elon Musk. Superimposed over the loop are the words: "Long live the real king."
👉 See also: Ethics in the News: What Most People Get Wrong
Was it real?
No. Absolutely not.
But it was a masterpiece of AI manipulation. Fact-checkers and eagle-eyed Reddit users quickly pointed out the glitches. For one, the AI struggled with anatomy—Elon Musk appeared to have two left feet in several frames. It was a classic "hallucination" by the generative model used to create the clip. Despite the obvious fakes, the video played for an extended period before IT could shut it down.
Why the "Trump Kissing Elon Musks Feet" Meme Stuck
The video didn't go viral just because it was gross or shocking. It went viral because it was a metaphor. At the time, Musk wasn't just a donor; he was effectively the "Co-President" in the eyes of many critics. He was running DOGE (the Department of Government Efficiency), slashing federal jobs, and sitting in on calls with world leaders like President Zelenskyy.
✨ Don't miss: When is the Next Hurricane Coming 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
When trump kissing elon musks feet became a top-trending search term, it reflected a genuine public question: Who is actually in charge?
- The Power Dynamic: Musk had donated over $250 million to the 2024 campaign.
- The Efficiency Mandate: Trump gave Musk "free rein" to gut agencies, including HUD.
- The Resistance: Anonymous employees at HUD told reporters the video was a "sign of resistance" that brought "joy" to a workforce terrified of losing their jobs.
The Fallout: Investigations and "DOGE" Drama
The Biden-era holdovers and the new Trump appointees scrambled. HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett called it a "waste of taxpayer resources." There were investigations into whether it was an external hack or an inside job by a disgruntled IT staffer. While the culprit was never publicly named, the incident highlighted a massive vulnerability in how federal agencies secure their internal communications.
Elon Musk, true to form, didn't seem particularly offended. He’s spent years leaning into the "King" imagery on X (formerly Twitter). Trump, on the other hand, was reportedly "disappointed" by the portrayal, especially since his relationship with Musk began to sour shortly after.
🔗 Read more: What Really Happened With Trump Revoking Mayorkas Secret Service Protection
The "Bromance" Eventually Hit a Wall
If you're looking at the trump kissing elon musks feet incident as the peak of their friendship, the valley came just a few months later. By June 2025, the two were feuding openly.
Musk hated the "One Big Beautiful Bill" (Trump's massive spending package). He called it a "disgusting abomination." Trump fired back on Truth Social, claiming Musk went "CRAZY" over electric vehicle mandates. At one point, Musk even suggested Trump was in the Epstein files—a total 180 from the "worship" depicted in the HUD deepfake.
How to Spot These Fakes in the Future
We’re living in an era where seeing isn’t believing. The trump kissing elon musks feet video was convincing because it used high-quality GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks). If you want to avoid being duped by the next political deepfake, look for these specific red flags:
- Anatomy Glitches: AI still can't do hands or feet consistently. Look for extra toes or weirdly merging limbs.
- The "Shimmer": Watch the edges of the hair or where the skin meets clothing. If it looks like it’s vibrating, it’s a fake.
- Source Verification: If a sitting President is doing something this insane, it won't just be on a lobby monitor at HUD. It’ll be on every major news network simultaneously.
Honestly, the reality of the Trump-Musk alliance is weirder than any AI video. As of early 2026, they’ve reached a "thaw" in their relationship, sharing dinner at Mar-a-Lago and discussing Starlink’s role in Iran. They don't need to kiss feet to move the world; they just need a shared interest and a smartphone.
To stay ahead of political misinformation, always cross-reference viral clips with verified footage from C-SPAN or major news wires like AP and Reuters. If you come across a video that seems too "perfectly" scandalous, it's likely a targeted piece of digital satire or a deepfake intended to provoke a reaction.