A heated altercation between two of Donald Trump’s top advisers at Mar-a-Lago has underscored the chaotic dynamics within his transition team, according to a report from The Washington Post. The incident involved Boris Epshteyn, a legal adviser recently charged in Arizona’s false electors case, and Howard Lutnick, Trump’s pick for commerce secretary and the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald.
The confrontation reportedly began when Lutnick blocked Epshteyn from entering a meeting at Trump’s Florida estate. “Transition co-chair Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, told Epshteyn in front of others that this was not a meeting for him. ‘We’re not talking legal nominees today,’ Lutnick said,” the Post reported.
Epshteyn, however, refused to comply. “Using his forearm, he pushed Lutnick out of the way, according to two people familiar with the incident, which Lutnick later recounted to others. ‘I’m coming in,’ Epshteyn retorted,” the report states. A third source downplayed the incident, describing it as Epshteyn “simply brushing past Lutnick,” but neither party commented on the matter.
The scuffle is emblematic of the “freewheeling” nature of Trump’s inner circle, the report suggests. “In any other presidential transition, such a showdown and physical confrontation between two top advisers to the president-elect would be a showstopping breakdown in decorum. However, in Trump’s freewheeling orbit, the incident was soon forgotten.
It further highlighted that Trump’s transition team has returned to the turbulent patterns of his first term, including public shouting matches, meeting expulsions, and name-calling. Other clashes have also emerged among Trump’s advisers, the report notes. Elon Musk, who has embraced the moniker “first buddy” on his social network X, reportedly had a tense exchange with Epshteyn at Mar-a-Lago, witnessed by others.
Meanwhile, incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles has been tasked with refereeing meetings, asking unwelcome attendees to leave. These confrontations reflect the broader “warring factions” within Trump’s orbit, where competing agendas and personalities often result in chaos.
According to the Post, the insights are based on accounts from over half a dozen aides, advisers, and confidants involved in the transition process. Despite the public celebrations and high-profile photo ops marking Trump’s return, the internal discord among his team serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that lie ahead for his administration.