A longtime adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump was investigated for allegedly obtaining payments from those seeking roles or influence in the new administration.
The top lawyer for Donald Trump's transition team investigated a longtime adviser to the president-elect over allegations that he used his proximity to Trump to obtain payments from those seeking roles or influence in the new administration.
The review by attorney David Warrington recommended that Trump aides sharply limit adviser Boris Epshteyn's access to the president-elect, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to report the matter.
The staff drama highlights the unusual cast of characters around Trump who contributed to the chaos of his first term, some of whom are part of the transition to his second as he seeks to shape his new administration before taking office on January 20. .
Among those who Epshteyn is alleged to have sought payments is Scott Bessent, Trump's nominee to be Treasury secretary. Bessent campaigned for several months for the job, but Epshteyn allegedly opposed it after the hedge fund executive did not agree to pay him a substantial retainer.
The review also examined a complaint from former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned over a scandal but has expressed interest in joining the Trump administration.
Greitens signed a statement last week recounting a Nov. 7 conversation with Epshteyn that alleged that his “general tone and demeanor gave me the impression of an implicit expectation to engage in business dealings with him before advocating or suggesting my appointment to the President. This created a feeling of discomfort and pressure on my part.”
Epshteyn is not accused of doing anything illegal — obtaining fees for access to high-level government officials is the bread and butter of Washington lobbying — but the investigation seemed designed to weaken or eliminate his prominent position within Trump's circle. The president-elect has shown his distaste for those who, in his view, use him for their own personal benefit.
“As is standard practice, an extensive review of the campaign's consulting agreements, including with Boris, among others, has been conducted and completed,” said Trump communications director Steven Cheung. “We are now moving forward together as a team to help President Trump make America great again,” referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) slogan.
Veterans of other presidential campaigns and transitions said such a review was far from standard, and Cheung did not comment on Epshteyn's role going forward.
Epshteyn, who briefly served in a mid-level role in Trump's first White House, became a central player in Trump's life after he left office in 2021. He was one of the architects of the legal team and strategy of Trump as the former president faced a series of criminal and civil threats following the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Epshteyn himself was charged in state charges in Arizona related to alleged efforts by Trump allies to subvert that election and has pleaded not guilty. He holds the title of Trump's senior adviser and adviser, but even before the review he was not expected to take on a role in the incoming administration.
“It is an honor to work for President Trump and with his team,” Epshteyn said in a statement. “These false claims are false and defamatory and will not distract us from returning America to greatness.”
Eric Trump, the president-elect's son who went to college with Epshteyn, told Fox News that if the reported allegations were true, his old friend might not be on the campaign trail for long.
The investigation into Epshteyn was first reported by the conservative website Just the News.