Trump move shows 'limit to influence' of one of his 'strongest political allies': report

One of Donald Trump's latest actions shows that one of his closest allies doesn't have the influence over the president-elect that some thought, according to a new report.

Elon Musk is the richest man in the world and he poured millions of dollars into efforts to get the former and incoming president elected, but he doesn't have unlimited sway over Trump's actions, Business Insider reported.

Trump recently nominated hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to be his Treasury secretary, but Musk had spoken out against this exact same notion.

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John L. Dorman, a senior politics reporter at Business Insider, wrote on Saturday that Musk "has become one of Donald Trump's strongest political allies." But that relationship was recently tested, according to Dorman.

"There seems, however, at least for now, some limit to Musk's influence on Trump," the report states. "Bessent, a Wall Street veteran and a top economic advisor to Trump, emerged as a favorite of the president-elect while on the campaign trail this year. Last Saturday, however, before Trump decided, Musk shared his thoughts about the Treasury job, writing in a post on X that Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick would be a stronger choice."

Business Insider further reports that Trump later made Lutnick his pick for commerce secretary.

"That Trump went his own way in selecting Bessent for what is seen as the top economic role in any presidential administration may be an early sign of the limitations of Musk's relationship with the president-elect," the report states. "The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sought advice from Wall Street leaders for the Treasury spot, and his advisors told him that analysts would view Bessent as a stabilizing figure."

Musk did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Read the report here.