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Steven Cheung

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Steven Cheung
Cheung in 2025
White House Communications Director
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 20, 2025
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byBen LaBolt
Personal details
Born (1982-06-23) June 23, 1982 (age 44)
South Sacramento, California, U.S.
PartyRepublican
EducationCalifornia State University, Sacramento (attended)

Steven Cheung (born June 23, 1982) is an American political advisor who has served as the White House communications director since 2025.

Cheung began his political career working as a communications and speechwriting intern for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in college. Cheung later worked for Arizona senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, Steve Poizner's campaign in the 2010 California gubernatorial election, Sharron Angle's campaign in the 2010 United States Senate election in Nevada, and Texas lieutenant governor David Dewhurst's campaign for the 2012 United States Senate election in Texas. In 2013, he was hired as the director of communications and public affairs for Ultimate Fighting Championship. In July 2016, Cheung joined Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

Cheung served as the White House assistant communications director and later the director of strategic response in Trump's first presidency. According to former White House aide Cliff Sims, Cheung was instrumental in ensuring Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court nomination and the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. In June 2018, Cheung was fired by John F. Kelly amid broader staff changes. After leaving the White House, Cheung consulted for several campaigns, including Trump's 2020 presidential campaign and Caitlyn Jenner's campaign in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election. In September 2022, he began leading communications for MAGA Inc., Trump's super PAC. Cheung later became the director of communications for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. In November 2024, Trump named Cheung as his White House communications director.

Early life and education (1982–2004)

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Steven Cheung was born on June 23,[1] 1982,[2] in South Sacramento, California.[3] He is the son of Chinese parents who immigrated to the United States in the 1960s from Hong Kong and Japan.[4]

Cheung graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 2000.[5] He played for John F. Kennedy's football team.[6] Cheung later attended California State University, Sacramento, majoring in computer science and political science,[6] but did not earn a degree.[7]

Career

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Early career (2003–2016)

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While attending California State University, Cheung worked as a communications and speechwriting intern for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.[1] After withdrawing from university, Cheung worked for Arizona senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.[8] Cheung later worked for Steve Poizner's campaign in the 2010 California gubernatorial election and Sharron Angle's campaign in the 2010 United States Senate election in Nevada.[9] By October 2011, he had begun working for Texas lieutenant governor David Dewhurst in his campaign for the 2012 United States Senate election in Texas.[10] In 2013,[6] Cheung was hired as the director of communications and public affairs for Ultimate Fighting Championship.[9] His work included the UFC's effort to legalize mixed martial arts in New York and a messaging campaign against the Culinary Union, which was pressing the company's owners to unionize their hotels.[11][4]

Trump campaign and assistant communications director (2016–2018)

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In July 2016, Cheung was named as the rapid response director for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign,[8] handling "breaking news and pushing back on false or unbalanced reporting."[12] After Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election, he was named to Trump's presidential transition team, overseeing rapid response.[13] In January 2017, one day prior to Trump's first inauguration, Cheung was appointed as the White House assistant communications director.[14] He became the director of strategic response in September.[15] According to Cliff Sims, Cheung—an obscure aide—was instrumental in ensuring Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court nomination and the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Cheung was among those fired by White House chief of staff John F. Kelly in June 2018.[16]

Post-government work and Trump campaigns (2018–2024)

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Cheung speaking amid the criminal trial of Donald Trump in New York.

By August 2019, Cheung had begun consulting communications for Trump's 2020 presidential campaign through his firm, Solgence.[17] He joined Caitlyn Jenner's campaign in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election in April 2021.[18] In January 2022, Politico reported that Cheung was considering running in the 2022 United States House of Representatives election for California's ninth congressional district after Representative Jerry McNerney declined to seek a tenth term.[3] Cheung worked for Brock Pierce's tentative campaign in the 2022 United States Senate election in Vermont.[19] He advised former Missouri governor Eric Greitens's campaign in the 2022 United States Senate election in Missouri.[20]

Cheung helped orchestrate the 2020 Republican National Convention along with several other officials.[21] In September 2022, he was appointed as the director of communications for MAGA Inc., a super PAC for Trump.[22] By March 2023, Cheung had been leading communications for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.[23] As the campaign's director of communications, he wrote several of Trump's posts on Truth Social.[24]

White House Communications Director (2025–present)

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On November 15, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump named Cheung as his White House communications director.[25]

Communication style

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Cheung employs a combative style mirroring Donald Trump's own approach to the media.[26][4] The Atlantic described Cheung's strategy as one of "relentless aggression," and wrote that it "helps quench the base's thirst for lib-owning."[4] Stephanie Grisham, who worked with Cheung in the White House, told NOTUS that he offers "pithy statements that can offend people quickly."[11] In contrast to his predecessors, Cheung's social media posts are often profanity-laden and attack Trump's adversaries.[4] Cheung has referred to various political adversaries and reporters through terms such as "cuck," "dumbass," "dick," and "fucking stupid." He described James Comey, the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as someone who "might be one of the dumbest motherfuckers in human history,"[26] Florida governor Ron DeSantis as a "desperate eunuch",[27] and California governor Gavin Newsom as "a mongoloid who barely registers half a brain cell."[28] According to several reporters, Cheung is cordial in his direct and private communications.[29]

References

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  1. 1 2 "Steven Cheung, senior communications adviser for the Trump reelect". Politico. June 23, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  2. ↑ McGraw, Meridith; Bade, Rachael (November 15, 2024). "Trump to tap campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung as communications director". Politico. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Bade, Rachael; Palmeri, Tara (January 25, 2022). "Schumer strategy leaves some Dems seething". Politico. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Godfrey, Elaine (March 31, 2025). "Steven Cheung Is the Voice of Trump". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 23, 2026. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  5. ↑ Large, Steve (November 18, 2024). "Trump's pick for White House communications director grew up in Sacramento". CBS News. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 Sokolove, Michael (April 5, 2024). "How Trump's 2024 Campaign Became a Bloody Cage Fight". Mother Jones. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  7. ↑ Macht, Daniel (November 15, 2024). "President-elect Trump names Sacramento native Steven Cheung as WH communications director". KCRA-TV. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  8. 1 2 Gass, Nick (July 11, 2016). "Trump hires rapid response director from Ultimate Fighting Championship". Politico. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Kanski, Alison (July 11, 2016). "Trump campaign bulks up comms team with Bryan Lanza and Steven Cheung". PRWeek. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  10. ↑ Selby, W. (October 11, 2011). "Ted Cruz says David Dewhurst's camp called him a Chinese Communist". PolitiFact. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  11. 1 2 Joseph, Cameron (January 11, 2024). "The Hardest Worker In All Of Trumpland". NOTUS. Retrieved September 15, 2026.
  12. ↑ Borchers, Callum. "Donald Trump's new 'media bias of the day' emails don't make sense". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
  13. ↑ Brown, Heath (December 12, 2016). "Focus on communications, not policy, sets Trump transition apart". The Hill. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  14. ↑ Nussbaum, Matthew (January 19, 2017). "Trump team announces additional White House hires". Politico. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  15. ↑ Haberman, Maggie (September 12, 2017). "Hope Hicks Is Formally Named White House Communications Director". The New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  16. ↑ Karni, Annie (June 11, 2018). "White House aide Steven Cheung leaves communications staff". Politico. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  17. ↑ Beavers, David (August 15, 2019). "Former Trump staffers consulting for president's reelect". Politico. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  18. ↑ Markay, Lachlan; Treene, Alayna; Swan, Jonathan (April 23, 2021). "Caitlyn Jenner makes it official for California governor". Axios. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  19. ↑ Schreckinger, Ben (April 22, 2022). "Bannon is helping a Vermont crypto bro get elected to the Senate". Politico. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ Treene, Alayna (December 14, 2021). "Trump Republicans eager to dethrone McConnell as GOP leader". Axios. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  21. ↑ Scherer, Michael; Dawsey, Josh (August 28, 2020). "Republicans try to change President Trump's image for skeptical voters". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  22. ↑ Isenstadt, Alex (September 23, 2022). "Trump to unleash millions in the midterms in possible prelude to 2024". Politico. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  23. ↑ Cai, Sophia (March 20, 2023). "Inside Trump's campaign makeover for 2024". Axios. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  24. ↑ Cai, Sophia (June 28, 2023). "Trump plots Twitter return". Axios. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  25. ↑ Gold, Michael (November 15, 2024). "Trump Asks Steven Cheung to Lead White House Communications". The New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  26. 1 2 Farhi, Paul (June 25, 2025). ""You Must Be Truly F--king Stupid": Meet the Man Behind the White House's Shock Jock Press Strategy". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  27. ↑ Bender, Michael; Nehamas, Nicholas (January 22, 2024). "The Emasculation of Ron DeSantis by the Bully Donald Trump". The New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
  28. ↑ Knowles, Hannah; Morse, Clara Ence (September 7, 2025). "Newsom won't stop mocking Trump — and Trump keeps taking the bait". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  29. ↑ Malone, Clare (March 25, 2024). "The Face of Donald Trump's Deceptively Savvy Media Strategy". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
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