Looks like they finally caught the guy behind that creepy deepfake of the president that somehow made it onto government TVs.
The deepfake video surfaced amid scrutiny of Musk’s government role
On Monday, February 24, the staff at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) got an unexpected surprise while grabbing lunch.
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The cafeteria TVs suddenly started playing a bizarre video—one that showed Donald Trump and Elon Musk in an awkward position.
The video went viral with mixed reactions
That AI stunt blew up all over social media—people couldn’t stop talking about it. Right across the video, there was a bold caption that read: “LONG LIVE THE REAL KING.”
People on Twitter had mixed reactions—some thought it was hilarious, others found it straight-up disgusting.
Officials finally regained control of the TVs
Now, officials say they’ve found the hacker behind the whole thing—and they might be in serious trouble. After getting kicked out of the government building, legal action could be next.
They haven’t shared a name or explained how this person managed to hijack the HUD’s TV system, but a spokesperson hinted they were connected to the department and are no longer a mystery.
The timing of all this is pretty interesting too
The AI stunt dropped right when Trump and Musk were already in the spotlight—thanks to Musk’s role in running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
DOGE has been cutting costs and eliminating jobs
DOGE has been slashing costs left and right, even cutting a bunch of government jobs in the process.
Officials have tracked down the alleged hacker and immediately took down the video
After the chaos, HUD officials managed to take back control of the TVs—and wasted no time switching them over to highlight some of Trump’s political wins.
The suspect was escorted off the property
A HUD spokesperson told The New York Post, “Yesterday, an individual was escorted off the property.”
They added, “Legal ramifications are being explored. Additionally, termination or suspension of certain services are being explored as it relates to the department.”
Democrats reacted with sarcasm
On the other side, rival Democrats from the US House Committee on Financial Services couldn’t help but laugh at the whole thing. They even chimed in with a cheeky tweet: “Not all heroes wear capes.”
The White House clarified Musk’s role, but concerns remain
The White House insisted that Musk’s role is purely voluntary and that he doesn’t have any real authority over government decisions.
Musk sent an email demanding reports from government employees
But this week, he sure acted like he did—sending out an email warning federal employees that they could lose their jobs if they didn’t respond.
The email stirred up even more controversy. It told staff to send back a bullet-point list of five things they got done that week—or quit if they didn’t meet the deadline.
Trump wasn’t so mad about it
Trump, for his part, backed the move, saying there was “a lot of genius” to it.
