Trump team probed whether aide Boris Epshteyn sought money from administration job seekers
Lawyers for Donald Trump have conducted an inquiry into reports that a top aide asked prospective political appointees for payments to promote their candidacies with the president-elect, two people close to Trump told USA TODAY on Monday night.
The internal investigation looked into multiple incidents in which attorney Boris Epshteyn was said to have asked job seekers for money in exchange for advancing their chances of a position in the next Trump White House, according to the two people close to Trump, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Epshteyn denied the charges. “I am honored to work for President Trump and with his team," he said. "These fake claims are false and defamatory and will not distract us from Making America Great Again.”
The Trump legal review of allegations against Epshteyn was first reported by CNN and the Washington Post. Aspects of Epshteyn's alleged conduct were reported on Monday by conservative news site Just the News.
Trump told Just the News he didn't know of anyone trying to improperly profit off his new administration. “I suppose every president has people around them who try to make money off them on the outside. It’s a shame but it happens,” he told the outlet. “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.”
The Post reported that the legal review showed that Epshteyn had invited hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to a February meeting in which he requested a monthly stipend of $30,000 to talk up Bessent around Trump's Mar-a-Lago private club.
Last week, Trump announced Bessent as his pick to run the Treasury Department.
“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 transition spokesman Steven Cheung said. "We are now moving ahead together as a team to help President Trump Make America Great Again.”
Epshteyn has been a close advisor to Trump for years, and is currently under criminal indictment in Arizona with other Trump allies for their alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election in that swing state using so-called fake electors.
Epshteyn's attorneys in that case were paid with funds from Trump's political action committee, the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump team probed reports Boris Epshteyn sought money from job seekers