‘Murder-Suicide’: Trump Sources Tell CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Cabinet Candidates Knifed Each Other Out Of Job

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins dropped exclusive reporting on President-elect Donald Trump’s shortlist for Treasury chief knifing each other out of contention in what could end up a metaphorical “murder-suicide.”

Trump made news last week with cabinet picks that drew shock and outrage. The dust was still swirling over the selection of former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to be Trump’s attorney general when Trump made good on a campaign promise by nominating RFK Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Trump also faces hot confirmation fights after picking former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) as his nominee for the director of national intelligence.

On Monday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Collins — whose Trump sources are on par with anyone’s — dished on the intrigue around a crucial yet under-the-radar pick.

Kaitlan’s sources say Trump transition teamers Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent have knocked each other out, and perhaps more importantly, Trump world sources are talking freely about the chaotic process:

COLLINS: Tonight, just a short distance from where I’m standing, right now, just over the Intracoastal Waterway, over at Mar-a-Lago, the conversations are buzzing about the latest fight to shape Donald Trump’s administration.

I have new reporting, tonight, about how the President-Elect is struggling with one of the biggest decisions that he has left. Who should be in charge of spending your tax dollars, and carrying out some of Trump’s most ambitious plans. His Treasury secretary.

Several sources tell me that there has been intense infighting happening behind-the-scenes, as Trump is searching for a big name. But so far, coming up short. I’m told that Trump really wants to impress Wall Street with his decision. He wants to avoid rocking the stock market, which has been doing quite well, under President Biden.

Treasury is also one of the very few high-profile posts that saw relative stability, in Trump’s first term. Remember Steven Mnuchin? He was the Treasury secretary there, serving out all four years.

This time, Trump is already set to interview a new batch of contenders, this week, here in Florida. I’ve learned that one of them is Kevin Warsh. He is someone Trump knows well, and someone who comes from the sort of private-money family connections that Trump often seeks out. He’s married to an heir of the Estee Lauder fortune.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL- ELECT: Kevin Warsh. Kevin. Where’s Kevin? I don’t know, Kevin. I could have used you a little bit here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Trump was saying there, he’s a former Federal Reserve Governor. He wanted to make him the Federal Reserve Chair, considered it, but ultimately did not, in his first time, going with Jay Powell. More on that.

But Trump has interviews lined up, throughout the week. But of course, Trump being Trump, he could make a decision at any time.

One name that does appear to be out of the running, for now, is the man running his transition, Howard Lutnick.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD LUTNICK, CO-CHAIR, TRUMP-VANCE TRANSITION TEAM: We don’t need the money, obviously. It’s not the money issue. So, we can save the taxpayers, some money. We’re able to raise plenty of money on our own. And it’s not going to be an issue. We are ready for the transition for Trump-Vance. We are so ready.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Howard Lutnick made a push for the job that was so obvious it could prove fatal for his chances of becoming Treasury secretary.

I’m hearing from several people in Trump’s inner circle that he grew irritated with Lutnick’s blatant lobbying for the role, and essentially the jockeying that has been playing out between Howard Lutnick, who you saw there, and another contender for this position, Scott Bessent, and I’m quoting, from what I was told here, could end up as a murder-suicide, with neither of them ultimately getting the position.

This all comes as Trump is scrambling to save a position he cares the most about, out of almost every cabinet pick. His attorney general. CNN has learned that Trump is personally working the phones, tonight, calling up Republican senators, directly, and pushing them to confirm his pick, Matt Gaetz, whose confirmation chances, tonight, are very much up in the air.

Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.