Elon Musk has emerged as a key player in President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team. However, growing tensions between Musk and Boris Epshteyn, one of Trump’s closest advisers, are revealing fractures within the president-elect’s inner circle.
The friction centers around Cabinet appointments, with Musk and Epshteyn clashing over the selection of figures like Matt Gaetz for attorney general and other high-level appointments. The dispute underscores Musk’s rising influence within Trump’s orbit, which some long-time Trump loyalists view as overreach.
A Power Struggle in the Transition Team
The rivalry between Musk and Epshteyn came to public attention last week after reports of a heated confrontation at Mar-a-Lago. During a dinner meeting with several guests, Musk reportedly accused Epshteyn of leaking sensitive details about the transition process, including personnel decisions, to the media. According to sources familiar with the incident, cited in an Axios report, Musk’s accusations sparked a “massive blowup,” with Epshteyn denying the claims and responding that Musk “didn’t know what he was talking about.”
The clash reflects deeper disagreements about the direction of Trump’s administration. While Epshteyn has been instrumental in shaping Trump’s Cabinet selections, including Gaetz for attorney general and William McGinley for White House counsel, Musk has begun advocating for his own picks. Among them is Howard Lutnick, Trump transition co-chair, for Treasury secretary—a move Musk argues would drive significant change.
On his social media platform X, Musk criticized Scott Bessent, a Wall Street veteran considered a favorite for the Treasury role, as a “business-as-usual choice” and warned that such decisions would continue to “drive America bankrupt.”
Musk’s Expanding Role
Musk, who contributed at least $119 million to Trump’s election campaign, has quickly become a fixture at Mar-a-Lago. His presence has won the favor of key figures in Trump’s circle, including Vice President-elect JD Vance and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. Even members of Trump’s family, such as sons Don Jr. and Eric, reportedly value Musk’s input.
Notably, Trump’s granddaughter, Kai, posted a photo with Musk and his son, referring to the billionaire as having reached “uncle status.”
Musk’s influence has also extended to Trump’s foreign policy initiatives. The president-elect recently included Musk on a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a move that highlights Musk’s growing sway in the administration’s decision-making process.
Pushback From Some Trump Loyalists
Despite Musk’s popularity with some members of Trump’s team, his assertiveness has caused friction among long-time advisers. Epshteyn, who played a pivotal role in coordinating Trump’s legal defenses during his criminal trials, has bristled at Musk’s challenges to his preferred Cabinet picks. The Axios report indicates Epshteyn is frustrated by Musk’s questioning of his candidates’ qualifications and sees the billionaire’s involvement as overstepping his boundaries.
Additionally, some members of Trump’s inner circle are reportedly wary of Musk’s constant presence at Mar-a-Lago. NBC recently reported that these figures view Musk as a disruptive force, undermining the cohesion of the transition process.
A Divided Inner Circle
The Musk-Epshteyn rivalry highlights the broader challenge facing Trump’s transition team: balancing the competing interests of veteran advisers and new influential allies. While Musk’s push for sweeping changes aligns with Trump’s calls for efficiency and reform, it also threatens to alienate those who have long been loyal to the president-elect.
For now, Musk appears to be doubling down on his vision for the administration. He has teamed up with former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a non-governmental “Department of Government Efficiency,” aiming to slash $2 trillion in federal spending.
As Trump’s team moves closer to forming a new administration, the power struggle between Musk and Epshteyn could shape not only the Cabinet but also the dynamics of Trump’s inner circle. Whether Musk’s influence will continue to grow or be curtailed remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: his role in Trump’s transition is anything but conventional.
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