Elon Musk, top Trump advisor engaged in 'massive blowup' at Mar-a-Lago dinner table. Here's the reason

Elon Musk, tech billionaire and SpaceX owner, has quickly become an influential figure in President-elect Trump's inner circle. The rapid rise of Musk might upset old-timers who felt sidelined as Trump is now often spotted with Musk, who is also influencing the cabinet picks that US President-elect has been announcing. There are signs of tension between Musk and a longtime Trump adviser over Cabinet appointments to the new administration.

Elon Musk, top Trump advisor clash

According to reports, there was a major outburst at the dinner table at Mar-a-Lago when Musk countered Boris Epshteyn -- a top adviser who reportedly pushed contentious Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Elon Musk fueled Trump's election effort by giving at least $119 million.

Musk has questioned whether Epshteyn has had too much influence in Trump's selections, especially his top Justice Department picks and the White House counsel, three people familiar with the conversations told Axios. At the same time, Musk began to push for his own Cabinet favorites.

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Axios cited sources who confirmed that Epshteyn has been bristling at Elon Musk questioning the qualification of Epshteyn's candidates. Their strained relationship reached the critical crisis last Wednesday during a heated discussion at a dinner table in front of other guests at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, three people familiar with the episode told Axios.

"At one point during what the sources describe as a 'massive blowup' and a 'huge explosion', Musk accused Epshteyn of leaking details of Trump's transition -- including personnel picks -- to the media. Epshteyn responded by telling Musk that he didn't know what he was talking about," Axios reported. Epshteyn responded by telling Musk that he didn't know what he was talking about, it added.

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Musk, Epshteyn clash

Trump's seniors staffers and confidants were not surprised as tensions have been brewing between Musk and Epshteyn during the transition meetings at Mar-a-Lago shortly after the November 5 election. And given Trump's love to pit his confidantes against each other, many people saw this coming. Epshteyn — who coordinated the legal defense in Trump's criminal cases — was a big influence in Trump's presidential appointments last week, Axios reported. Musk is making a late push for Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick to be treasury secretary.

Musk, meanwhile, is making a late push for Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick to be chosen for Treasury secretary instead of fund manager Scott Bessent, a Wall Street favorite who met with Trump in Florida on Friday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Musk's growing fondness in Trump's circles

Many in Donald Trump's inner circle, especially Trump's family members, like having Elon Musk around. Vice president-elect JD Vance is one of them apart from Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

Elon Musk was included in Donald Trump's family photo, Trump's granddaughter Kai called him uncle and Elon Musk accepted his new unofficial position as 'First Buddy' -- and then there is his official position as co-chief of the Department of Government Efficiency, which he will be heading with Vivek Ramaswamy and it is not part of the government.

But Musk's involvement in the transition process has begun to wear on people who have been in Trump's inner circle longer than he has and who see him as overstepping his role in the transition, NBC reported earlier.