### Major Dispute Erupts Between Trump Adviser and Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago

Tensions between a key Donald Trump adviser and billionaire Elon Musk came to a head last week at Mar-a-Lago, resulting in an explosive confrontation in front of guests. According to a report by Axios, the clash was sparked during a heated discussion where Musk accused Boris Epshteyn of leaking Trump's potential cabinet picks to the media. Epshteyn rebuffed the accusation, retorting that Musk was misinformed.

The incident, described as a "massive blowup," took place at a dinner table within Trump's exclusive club. Although it remains unclear whether Trump witnessed the altercation, the president-elect's transition team and Musk both refrained from commenting on the matter to Axios. Epshteyn, who has played a pivotal role in Trump's legal defense, directed queries to Trump's transition team.

This confrontation did not come as a surprise to those familiar with the dynamics at Mar-a-Lago post-Election Day. Sources mentioned to Axios that advisers and confidants had observed rising tensions between the two during transition meetings. In particular, Epshteyn appeared to take issue with Musk's challenges to the qualifications of his preferred cabinet candidates.

Epshteyn, aged 42, has been a long-standing adviser to Trump since his 2016 campaign and has been significantly involved in advising on Trump’s appointments, including the controversial selection of Matt Gaetz for attorney general. On the other hand, Musk, a 53-year-old newcomer to the "Make America Great Again" movement who donated $119 million to Trump’s campaign, has also influenced Trump's decisions regarding appointments.

Recently, Musk has been advocating for Howard Lutnick, Trump’s transition co-chair, to be appointed as Treasury Secretary over hedge fund manager Scott Bessent. This battle for influence has reportedly frustrated Trump. Sources cited by The New York Times indicated that Trump's annoyance partly stems from Lutnick’s persistent presence around him and concerns over Lutnick’s performance as transition chief, suspecting he may be advancing his own interests.

Though Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly support Lutnick for the Treasury Secretary position, this might have inadvertently affected Lutnick's chances. Furthermore, Musk's public endeavors concerning the role have aggravated Trump and his aides, as noted by The Wall Street Journal. Insiders told the Financial Times that Trump’s advisers have sought commitments from potential choices to adhere to Trump's key economic agenda, particularly his plan to enact significant tariffs.