Boris Epshteyn, a long-time adviser to Donald Trump and member of his transition team, has been accused of seeking payments from people to promote them for roles in the incoming administration. He has called the allegations, which were the subject of an internal investigation by Trump's legal team, "false and defamatory".

Epshteyn denied the charges. “I am honored to work for President Trump and with his team," he said. "These fake claims are false and defamatory and will not distract us from Making America Great Again.

Even before special counsel Jack Smith formally asked that his criminal cases against Donald Trump be dismissed, it was already guaranteed the president-elect would never see a jury. Smith on Monday dropped both the 2020 election subversion prosecution against Trump and the charges accusing Trump of mishandling classified documents.

Justice Department officials have concluded that an ongoing prosecution against a person elected president cannot continue during the presidential term.

Donald Trump’s selection of hedge-fund manager Scott Bessent to serve as Treasury secretary triggered a sigh of relief across global financial markets on Monday.