By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-17 15:54:10 | Updated at 2024-11-17 18:57:10
3 hours ago
Donald Trump is focused on putting in place a team that immediately course-corrects the U.S. economy.
But this effort has bled into a bitter public fight over who should lead the president-elect's Treasury Department.
Top Trump allies Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who he picked to lead the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), are advocating for transition co-chair Howard Lutnick to get the coveted role.
The last-minute support for Lutnick comes amid a private lobbying campaign for investor Scott Bessent to get the job.
Musk's public backing for Lutnick in a post on X went as far to discredit Bessent after Trump expressed his admiration for the finalist.
The Tesla, X and SpaceX boss asked for users on his social media platform to tell Trump who they want to see lead the Treasury Department.
'Would be interesting to hear more people weigh in on this for [Trump] to consider feedback,' Musk wrote.
He added: 'My view fwiw is that Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas Howard Lutnick will actually enact change. Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt, so we need change one way or another.'
A public campaign has ensued among Donald Trump's closest allying advocating for him to pick Howard Lutnick as the next Treasury Department Secretary
Musk has been alongside Trump ever since Election Day on November 5 and is helping lead the transition efforts as the president-elect announces appointments and nominations for his White House
Meanwhile, RFK Jr. responded to a post advocating for Bessent's qualifications and slamming Lutnick by claiming the latter will help progression with cryptocurrencies.
'Bitcoin is the currency of freedom, a hedge against inflation for middle class Americans, a remedy against the dollar's downgrade from the world's reserve currency, and the offramp from a ruinous national debt,' Kennedy wrote on X.
'Bitcoin will have no stronger advocate than Howard Lutnik.'
Their public backing came as it appeared Lutnick began to lose momentum for the job.
Lutnik is helping Trump with his transition team and has been pictured dining with Trump and Musk around Mar-a-Lago in the nearly two weeks after the 2024 presidential election.
People familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Trump and his senior aides have become at times annotated with the jockeying over Lutnik versus Bessent.
Some close to him wonder if the president-elect might choose a different candidate in the end.
Elon Musk asked people on X to provide 'feedback' for Donald Trump on who he should pick to lead the Treasury Department as he advocated for Howard Lutnick's appointment
RFK Jr. also backed Lutnick, claiming he would be a strong advocate for bitcoin
Trump eats McDonalds with Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump Jr. and House Speaker Mike Johnson aboard his private plane
