Office Hours: Now that Elon is on the way out, who will be Trump’s ringleader?

Friends,

I’ve had the privilege of working in and around four White Houses, and I can tell you they’re nothing like “The West Wing” television series, where everyone loves everyone else. In the White Houses I have known, everyone competes for power and influence.

The Trump White House is even more of a snake pit. And it’s at an especially interesting point right now. Ever since his spectacular flame-out in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Elon Musk has been on the way out. Meanwhile, Trump seems to be losing interest in the job — other than getting revenge and making money.

So who is emerging as Trump’s most powerful ringleader — the person who’s plotting and enforcing overall strategy? (I’m not including Cabinet officers because, as I’ve learned — having served in a president’s Cabinet and carefully watched the workings of many administrations — real power is found inside the White House.)

Here are my major candidates and why I’ve chosen them. I’d be interested in your views.