On Monday morning, anonymous hackers played a video on screens throughout the Department of Housing and Urban Development HQ in Washington, D.C. The AI-generated video jankily portrayed President Trump kissing Elon Musk’s feet, with an overlaid caption reading: “Long live the real king.” It reportedly played on a loop for five minutes before the baffled building staff eventually scrambled to each floor and turned off the TVs manually.

As amusing as it may have been for some to see a high-tech protest depicting a low-status Trump, amusement is all this protest has to offer. Those looking for, or trying to manifest, cracks in the president’s relationship with the world’s richest man still have their work cut out for them. Despite Trump’s historically mercurial affinities, and a distaste for being overshadowed, his alliance with Musk appears a lot sturdier than many predicted.

The AI-generated video that played at HUD is hardly the first public attempt to drive a wedge between the president and the tech oligarch.........

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