"One of the most brilliant men on Wall Street." "Respected by everybody." "A nice-looking guy, too." 

This is how former President Donald Trump recently described Scott Bessent, a little-known hedge-fund manager, onetime Al Gore supporter and George Soros's former top investor.

Bessent, in some ways an unlikely ally for Trump, has become his latest obsession. Trump sang Bessent's praises at an August rally in North Carolina, then surprised him by having him come onstage. On Thursday, Trump called Bessent "one of the top analysts on Wall Street" during a speech before the Detroit Economic Club. 

Bessent, founder of the investment firm Key Square Capital Management, caught the former president's attention last year when he publicly backed Trump as many peers in the finance world were still coalescing around Nikki Haley. 

Bessent, 62 years old, decided to go all-in when he saw that the legal cases against Trump were helping, not hurting, his approval rating. He told people the phenomenon reminded him of a stock that rises despite bad news, a bullish sign for some investors.

Now Bessent is Trump's go-to economic adviser. He passes campaign officials note cards with economic data and messages that Trump references on the stump. Bessent's name has been floated for positions such as Treasury secretary should Trump recapture the White House.

The billionaire investor has known the Trump family for decades, though he didn't become close with the former president himself until recently. He is friends with Blaine Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump's late brother, Robert.

Bessent visited Trump early this year at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, where they discussed ways Trump could convert his ideas into policy.

Bessent is friends with Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio) and was among the few on Wall Street advocating for Trump to choose Vance as his running mate. He also is friendly with John Paulson, another investor seen as a potential Treasury secretary under Trump.

This account is based on conversations with more than a dozen people familiar with Bessent and his deepening relationship with Trump.