(CNN) – Donald Trump’s lawyers conducted an internal investigation into allegations that one of his top…
(CNN) – Donald Trump’s lawyers have conducted an internal investigation into allegations that one of his top advisers, Boris Epshteyn, has sought to financially gain from his influence over Trump and others in the president-elect’s orbit, according to multiple sources. sources familiar with the matter.
The internal investigation, which was confirmed by a half-dozen sources and is not criminal in nature, reviews multiple cases in which Epshteyn allegedly solicited payments in exchange for promoting candidates for administrative positions or offering to connect individuals with people in the next administration relevant to their industries, the sources said.
On one occasion he even requested up to US$100,000 a month in exchange for his services, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Epshteyn’s alleged activities led those investigating the matter to make an initial recommendation that Epshteyn should be removed from proximity to Trump and that he should not be employed or paid by Trump entities, according to two sources.
As of Monday afternoon, it did not appear that the transition team was taking that recommendation into account.
“I am honored to work for President Trump and with his team,” Epshteyn said in a statement to CNN. “These claims are false and defamatory and will not distract us from our goal of making America great again.”
The alleged conduct of one of Trump’s closest advisers is a sign of the turmoil and conflict behind the scenes of the transition process while the president-elect and his team are part of the incoming administration.
Special Prosecutor Jack Smith Drops Election Subversion Case Against Trump
Epshteyn, long considered one of Trump’s most loyal advisers, has played an important role in the transition, attending key meetings and candidate briefings at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. But their presence has often been divisive.
Notable in Trump world, Epshteyn is known for his combative and loud personality and often boasts about his close relationship with Trump, according to sources in and around the president-elect’s orbit.
In recent years, Epshteyn has acted as a lawyer and adviser to Trump and, to the chagrin of some more experienced lawyers in Trump’s inner circle, played an influential role in organizing his criminal defense strategy after the former president was indicted. four times.
While Epshteyn has not been accused of illegal conduct, the decision to launch an internal investigation reflects the Trump team’s wariness of activities that could appear unsavory.
“As is standard practice, an extensive review of the campaign’s consulting agreements, including those for Boris, among others, has been conducted and completed,” Trump transition spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement to CNN. . “Now we move forward as a team to help President Trump Make America Great Again.”
Source: “A lot of paid games”
Part of that investigation focused on allegations that Epshteyn proposed that Scott Bessent, Trump’s nominee for Treasury secretary, pay him to promote his name to Trump and others at Mar-a-Lago. Bessent made no payments to Epshteyn.
CNN has contacted representatives for Bessent for comment.
The exchange between Epshteyn and Bessent led to a heated confrontation last week in the Mar-a-Lago lobby, where Epshteyn raised her voice at Bessent, according to two sources briefed on the matter.
Scott Bessent speaks at a Donald Trump campaign event in Asheville, North Carolina, in August 2024. (Jonathan Drake/Reuters)
In at least one other case, Epshteyn requested payment in exchange for appearances and influence over the incoming Trump administration, according to two sources. Trump’s legal team investigated several other alleged similar incidents, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The allegations against Epshteyn were brought to the attention of new White House Secretary General Susie Wiles, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. It is unknown whether the allegations were brought directly to Trump.
Epshteyn has at times described the services it is trying to sell as a type of consulting, but the legal team investigating the matter has had difficulty identifying any legitimate consulting work Epshteyn has provided, according to a source familiar with the matter.
“In my opinion, this is a fee-for-service system,” said one person who spoke to the legal team that investigated Epshteyn. This person described a separate incident in which Epshteyn allegedly attempted to solicit payment for questionable consulting services, offering to put the person in touch with incoming administration officials relevant to their industry or with lobbying firms that will be better connected to the new administration.
The investigator assured the person that his interaction with Epshteyn was not an isolated incident.
“I told them, ‘Hey, you’re not the only one,’” said the person who spoke to investigators. “He has turned to everyone for help.”
A person close to Epshteyn dismissed the idea that this was a paid game.
“That’s how Washington works,” the source said.
Epshteyn’s allies described the internal review as a result of the new associates’ failure to understand the dynamic between Trump and Epshteyn, as well as a disdain for the power Epshteyn wields over the president-elect. Epshteyn was constantly present on Trump’s plane until the end of the 2024 campaign, often insisting on being present for conversations and briefings that had nothing to do with legal matters, a source close to Trump told CNN.
“Boris is a loyal Trump supporter: loyal and effective from the beginning,” a Trump transition official told CNN. “He works for President Trump and no one else, and has helped defeat the cruelest legal warfare campaign in history. “Boris has seen these little skirmishes before, but he always perseveres.”
He lobbied for Gaetz
While the legal team’s investigation was underway, Epshteyn sent cease-and-desist messages to his associates, claiming he had never demanded payment and threatening legal action, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Epshteyn has long been a fixture in the president-elect’s inner circle and has been part of key meetings with Trump at Mar-a-Lago during the transition period. He is often seen at Mar-a-Lago dining with the president-elect on the patio and has attended several transition meetings and candidate briefings, particularly related to Trump’s choices for the Justice Department.
Representative Matt Gaetz arrives with President-elect Donald Trump’s motorcade in Washington on November 13. (By Nathan Howard/Reuters)
Sources described Epshteyn as responsible for promoting the name of former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz amid arguments over who Trump should pick as his attorney general. Epshteyn lobbied Trump for Gaetz on a flight just hours before Gaetz was named the nominee.
The former Florida congressman later withdrew after it became clear he did not have the votes in the Senate amid the possible release of a House Ethics Committee report detailing an investigation into Gaetz, including allegations of conduct sexual misconduct and other alleged crimes.
Showdown with Musk
Even though the process appears more orderly and faster than in 2016, Trump’s transition this time is still plagued by the infighting typically seen in Trump’s orbit, several sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Transition team sources have expressed frustration at how many people listen to Trump and how quickly a day’s progress can be undone.
Elon Musk speaks with President-elect Donald Trump at a launch view of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket in Brownsville, Texas, on November 19. (Brandon Bell/Pool/Reuters)
Tensions between Epshteyn and other members of Trump’s inner circle have increased in recent weeks. Elon Musk, who has been at Trump’s side regularly since the election and has increasing influence over the president-elect, has questioned Epshteyn’s influence over Trump. The two also had a confrontation at Mar-a-Lago, and Musk leveled a series of accusations against Epshteyn, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
This year, the Trump campaign paid Epshteyn’s firm, Georgetown Advisory, $53,500 each month for communications and legal consulting, according to campaign finance records through October, the most recent month available.
Epshteyn briefly served in the first Trump administration as special assistant to the president in 2017, but has not been offered a formal role in the incoming administration.
Epshteyn was with Trump during his formal appearance in the hush money case in New York and traveled with him to his formal appearances in Georgia and Washington.
Epshteyn himself faces criminal charges in a case in Arizona related to attempts to alter the results of the 2020 presidential election. He has pleaded not guilty.
In light of the ethical concerns raised by Boris Epshteyn’s alleged actions, what specific measures could future political transition teams implement to prevent and address potential conflicts of interest?
Here are some open-ended questions based on the provided article, divided into thematic sections to encourage discussion and explore different viewpoints:
**Section 1: Boris Epshteyn’s Role and Alleged Conduct**
* Beyond his stated intentions, what are the potential implications of Boris Epshteyn engaging in activities like allegedly soliciting payments for access to Trump? How does this reflect on the nature of influence and power in political transition teams?
* The article mentions Epshteyn’s ”combative and loud personality” and his “boasting about his close relationship with Trump.” How much should personal style and perceived closeness to a leader influence their power dynamics within a team?
* Epshteyn’s defenders characterize his actions as “how Washington works.” To what extent is this an accurate portrayal of political maneuvering, and is there a line between acceptable lobbying and potentially unethical behavior?
**Section 2: Ethical Concerns and Internal Investigations**
* What are the ethical implications of a campaign aide potentially profiting from their access to a President-elect? How should campaigns and transition teams address potential conflicts of interest?
* The article mentions the difficulty in identifying legitimate consulting work provided by Epshteyn. What mechanisms should be in place to ensure transparency and accountability regarding the services provided by political consultants?
* The Trump team was reportedly “wariness of activities that could appear unsavory”. How should political teams balance public perception of ethical conduct with the realities of navigating a complex and often high-stakes political landscape?
**Section 3: Impact on the Transition Process and Trump’s Inner Circle**
* In what ways might Epshteyn’s alleged actions and the internal investigation contribute to the “turmoil and conflict” described in the transition process?
* How does the presence of figures like Elon Musk, who is said to be challenging Epshteyn’s influence, shed light on the power dynamics within Trump’s inner circle?
* How might these tensions and controversies impact the Trump administration’s ability to effectively govern and carry out its agenda?
**Section 4: Broader Implications for Political Transitions**
* The article highlights the recurrence of infighting and power struggles in Trump’s transitions. What lessons can be learned from these experiences and how can future transition teams avoid similar pitfalls?
* To what extent are the issues raised in this article representative of broader challenges facing political transitions in general, regardless of the specific individuals involved?
* What structural reforms or changes in campaign finance regulations could potentially address the concerns raised about influence peddling and ethical conduct in political transitions?
Remember that these are just starting points – encourage participants to build on these questions, share their own perspectives, and engage in a thoughtful and nuanced discussion about the complexities of power, ethics, and political transitions.
