This was the thinking this morning ...
Charles Gasparino
@CGasparino
BREAKING: One reason for the delay in the selection of @USTreasury secretary (which should be officially announced today) is the insane, hunger games style jockeying for the job, insiders tell @nypost and @FoxBusiness. It began last Weds with @howardlutnick -- as we first reported--making his own move to nominate himself for the job in a process he was heading as transition chief. One Trump insider said "Howard was acting like a baby." That said it was effective. He would take Scott Bessent out of contention at least for a few days and put himself in the drivers seat.
But that failed, I am told, by Friday with the Trump team telling him he wouldn't get Treasury and he was then nominated for @CommerceGov. The Trump team--then worried that Lutnick didn't do a great job in finding candidates--opened it up to the world (Larry Fink of Blackrock even got a call), sources close to the matter tell me. Enter Kevin Warsh and Marc Rowan who spend time at Mar-a-Lago with Trump himself--45 mins each I am told, which isnt a long time for such a job. Now here's where it gets interesting. Rowan has a problem because he needs to find a successor at Apollo. Not easy. He has now told people he really doesn't want the job, my sources say. Warsh does want it as a stepping stone to the @federalreserve, which he always coveted. He finds an ally in Lutnick, my sources say. People close to Bessent believe the reason is simple: As an economist, and a good one at that, Warsh is better suited to run the @federalreserve and will take over in two years when Powell's term expires.
With Bessent out that will leave Treasury open for Lutnick who really wants the job because Warsh will be gone in two years and at the Fed, Bessent's supporters tell me. Lutnick, they say, can just slide in from Commerce. How this ultimately plays out is anyone's guess. Bessent is well liked in Trump's inner circle for obvious reasons: He's smart, loyal and gave Trump a ton of money. Plus, his people say, unlike Warsh, Bessent truly supports the MAGA agenda on tariffs etc. IMHO cant go wrong with any of these guys. Story developing
Last edited
8:42 AM · Nov 22, 2024
But then things changed ...
Charles Gasparino
@CGasparino
Done deal it’s Scott Bessent as @USTreasury secretary in a crazy two weeks of off again on again selection thwarted by @howardlutnick BUT Bessent was supported by most of @realDonaldTrump’s inner circle and that made the difference. Rowan and Warsh weren’t a MAGA fit
6:25 PM · Nov 22, 2024
