Musk, Epshteyn clash over Trump picks: Report
Billionaire Elon Musk and lawyer Boris Epshteyn, two prominent figures in President-elect Trump’s circle, reportedly are butting heads over his Cabinet picks.
Musk, a major campaign donor who has been a regular by the president-elect's side of late, has been tapped to lead a effort to make the government more efficient. Epshteyn is a lawyer and longtime Trump strategist.
According to an Axios report early Monday, a “heated discussion” between Musk and Epshteyn took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort last Wednesday. Three sources told Axios of a "massive blowup," which included Musk accusing Epshteyn of leaking details personnel picks to the media. Epshteyn reportedly denied that claim.
Musk, according to the report, is concerned about Epshteyn's influence in Trump’s decisionmaking process with Cabinet picks. Epshteyn advocated for Trump's legal picks announced last week, including the nomination of then-Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for attorney general, a move that has been met with backlash and confusion from many Republicans.
Trump's criminal defense attorneys, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, were appointed to top Justice Department posts. He also plans to nominate D. John Sauer, an appellate attorney who argued Trump’s presidential immunity case at the Supreme Court earlier this year, as solicitor general. All of these positions would serve under Gaetz’s watch as attorney general.
Musk has pushed for Cabinet picks as well, specifically for Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, as Treasury Secretary over Key Square Group founder Scott Bessent.
Musk is expected to spearhead the new "Department of Government Efficiency" alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
The Hill has reached out to Trump’s team for comment.