A significant altercation occurred last week between a longtime advisor to Donald Trump and Elon Musk in front of guests at Mar-a-Lago, highlighting the growing “tensions” between the two figures. The confrontation arose following a “heated discussion,” during which Musk accused Boris Epshteyn of sharing Trump’s cabinet selections with the media, as reported by Axios. Epshteyn countered by asserting to Musk that he “didn’t know what he was talking about.”
This incident, characterized as a “huge explosion,” took place at a dinner table within Trump’s club. Both the president-elect’s transition team and Musk opted not to comment to Axios, while Epshteyn redirected the inquiry to the transition team. No information was provided about whether Trump was present during the dispute.
Musk has been vocal in supporting a candidate for Treasury Secretary, engaging in the discussions surrounding this vital Cabinet position. Observers familiar with the atmosphere at Mar-a-Lago since the Election Day were not taken aback by the disagreement between Musk and Epshteyn. According to sources from Axios, Trump’s advisors had previously noted “tensions between them bubble up during the transition meetings.”
Reports suggest that Epshteyn has “bristled” at Musk’s inquiries concerning the qualifications of his preferred cabinet choices. Epshteyn, who is 42 years old, has been a trusted advisor to Trump since the 2016 campaign and has played a significant role in shaping Trump’s appointments, including the contentious choice of Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Musk, a 53-year-old newcomer to the MAGA movement who invested $119 million in the president-elect’s campaign, is also believed to have Trump’s attention concerning these appointments.
Recently, Musk advocated for Trump’s transition co-chair, Howard Lutnick, to be appointed as Treasury Secretary, favoring him over hedge fund manager Scott Bessent. Both individuals are competing for this position, which has reportedly caused some annoyance for Trump. According to sources speaking to The New York Times, this irritation has partly arisen from Lutnick’s frequent presence around Trump in the weeks leading up to this. Trump has also expressed frustration over Lutnick’s performance as transition chief, feeling that he may have manipulated circumstances for personal gain.
Public endorsements for Lutnick by both Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have been made, but these might backfire in their support for Lutnick. Musk’s public dispute over the Treasury role has irritated Trump and his aides, as noted by The Wall Street Journal. Insiders in Trumpland shared with the Financial Times that the president-elect’s advisors are looking for commitments from candidates to adhere to Trump’s goals of implementing significant tariffs, a key element of his economic plans.
