President-elect Trump’s transition team conducted an internal review of consulting agreements involving allegations that one of his longtime advisers was seeking payment to promote those interested in jobs in a future Trump administration.
Multiple outlets, including The Associated Press and The New York Times, reported the review concluded that Boris Epshteyn asked for payment to advocate for two individuals, including Scott Bessent, whom Trump nominated last week to serve as Treasury secretary. Epshteyn has denied wrongdoing.
“As is standard practice, a broad review of the campaign’s consulting agreements has been conducted and completed, including as to Boris, among others,” Trump communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement. “We are now moving ahead together as a team to help President Trump Make America Great Again.”
Epshteyn in a statement called the claims “false and defamatory.”
“I am honored to work for President Trump and with his team,” Epshteyn said. “These fake claims are false and defamatory and will not distract us from Making America Great Again.”
While there is nothing illegal about taking fees to provide access or lobby for individuals, Trump has long bristled at those who seek to profit off of his name or proximity to him. His campaign has previously targeted candidates who inaccurately implied they had Trump’s endorsement.
The New York Times reported that the internal review found Epshteyn in February proposed to Bessent a monthly fee of between $30,000 and $40,000 to promote the investor around Mar-a-Lago. Bessent declined, according to the Times.
The news outlet reported that Bessent called Epshteyn earlier this month to ask if he had been bad-mouthing him, to which Epshteyn reportedly responded that he was “Boris f‑‑‑ing Epshteyn” and it was too late to hire him for consulting.
Epshteyn worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns, and he was at the center of high-profile efforts to cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election. Epshteyn was one of just a handful of aides who joined Trump at the courthouse in Manhattan when he was arraigned in 2023 on 34 felony counts. He has generated his share of critics in Trump’s orbit over the years.
Just the News, a conservative website, first reported on the allegations against Epshteyn. In a brief interview with the outlet, Trump acknowledged it was not uncommon for those close to a president to try to make money off of that proximity.
“But no one working for me in any capacity should be looking to make money. They should only be here to Make America Great Again,” Trump told the website.
Eric Trump, the president-elect’s son, was asked about the allegations against Epshteyn during a Monday night appearance on Fox News.
“Listen, I have known Boris for years, and I have never known him to be anything but a good human being,” Eric Trump told Laura Ingraham. “So, that said, I will tell you, my father’s been incredibly clear. You do not — you do not do that under any circumstance. And, believe me, there will be repercussions if somebody was.”
