A key transition figure and attorney for President-elect Donald J. Trump is being accused by Mr. Trump’s own team of corruption.
According to reports in The New York Times and The Washington Post, investigators believe Boris Epshteyn sought money from potential appointees in the new administration.
Citing three people briefed on the matter, The Times reported that Mr. Trump has been told the results of a review that concluded that Mr. Epshteyn had solicited money from two people to promote them to Mr. Trump, one of them being Treasury Secretary-nominee Scott Bessent.
According to the review by David Warrington, a counsel for Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign, Mr. Epshteyn suggested to Mr. Bessent early this year that he pay him $30,000 to $40,000 a month to “promote” him in Mr. Trump’s presence, The Times reported.
Mr. Bessent did not accept and reportedly described the request as a shakedown.
According to the report, the two men had a phone call during which Mr. Epshteyn told Mr. Bessent that he was “Boris F—-ing Epshteyn” and it was too late now for Mr. Bessent to boost him. He also later confronted Mr. Bessent at Mr. Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate in an exchange personally viewed by multiple Trump aides and seen by them as intimidation.
The second person mentioned in the report was a defense contractor from whom Mr. Epshteyn sought $100,000 a month during the transition period.
“The report said Mr. Epshteyn depicted his own hiring as ’do or die’ for the person’s prospects, according to the review. The contractor did not hire Mr. Epshteyn and is fearful of retaliation, the review found,” The Times wrote.
The report recommended that Mr. Epshteyn’s relationship with Mr. Trump should be “terminated,” The Times reported.
According to The Post account, citing “one of the people with knowledge of the review,” the report warned of both scandal for Mr. Trump and possible criminal charges against Mr. Epshteyn.
Mr. Epshteyn denied the accusations, according to a statement put out through the transition team.
“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.”
Spokesman Steven Cheung was less emphatic, confirming only that “as is standard practice, a broad review of the campaign’s consulting agreements has been conducted and completed, including as to Boris, among others.”
Eric Trump told Fox News on Monday evening that soliciting pay-for-play will not be tolerated, while adding that he knew Mr. Epshteyn to be “a good human being” and hoped that the reports were false.
“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,” he said, adding that any such person “will probably no longer be around.”
The review was carried out at Mr. Trump’s request and was conducted by people he trusts, The Times reported — an important factor since Mr. Epshteyn coordinated Mr. Trump’s defenses in his criminal cases.
The once and future president has credited Mr. Epshteyn for not abandoning him in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots and the resulting impeachment and trial.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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