Two advisers close to Donald Trump are engaged in a bitterly personal power struggle over some of the former president's Cabinet nominees, according to a new report.
Elon Musk quickly worked his way into the president-elect's inner circle after pouring about $200 million into his re-election campaign, but there are already signs of tension between the tech mogul and other Trump advisers — specifically longtime loyalist Boris Epshteyn, reported Axios.
"Their rocky relationship came to a head last Wednesday during a heated discussion at a dinner table in front of other guests at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, three people familiar with the episode told Axios," the website reported. "At one point during what the sources described as a 'massive blowup' and a 'huge explosion,' Musk accused Epshteyn of leaking details of Trump's transition — including personnel picks — to the media. Epshteyn responded by telling Musk that he didn't know what he was talking about."
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Epshteyn pushed for former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as attorney general, and Musk questioned whether the longtime adviser had too much influence over his top Justice department picks and the White House counsel pick of William McGinley, the sources said, while Epshteyn bristled at Musk's criticism.
Musk has been pushing for Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick as treasury secretary instead of Wall Street favorite Scott Bessent, a hedge fun manager who visited Mar-a-Lago last week.
"Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas [Lutnick] will actually enact change," Musk posted on his X platform. "Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt."
The tech billionaire is well-liked by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, conservative broadcaster Tucker Carlson and Trump's two eldest sons, but his near-constant presence at Mar-a-Lago has irritated some longstanding members of Trump's inner circle.