Steven Cheung
Steven Cheung[a] (born June 23, 1982) is an American political advisor who has served as the White House communications director since 2025. Cheung attended California State University, Sacramento, but did not earn a degree. He 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 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. He was purportedly 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)Steven Cheung was born on June 23,[1] 1982,[2] in South Sacramento, California.[3] He was the son of Chinese parents who emigrated to the United States; his mother was raised in Japan.[4] Cheung graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 2000.[5] He played for John F. Kennedy's football team.[4] Cheung attended California State University, Sacramento, majoring in computer science and political science,[4] but did not earn a degree.[6] CareerEarly career (2003–2016)While attending California State University, Cheung worked as a communications and speechwriting intern for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.[1] He worked for Arizona senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] In 2013,[4] Cheung was named as the director of communications and public affairs for Ultimate Fighting Championship.[8] Trump campaign and assistant communications director (2016–2018)In July 2016, Cheung was named as the director of rapid response for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.[7] After Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election, he was named to Trump's presidential transition team, overseeing rapid response.[10] In January 2017, one day prior to Trump's first inauguration, Cheung was appointed as the White House assistant communications director.[11] He became the director of strategic response in September.[12] Cheung was among those fired by White House chief of staff John F. Kelly in June 2018. 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.[13] Post-government work and Trump campaigns (2018–2024) By August 2019, Cheung had begun consulting Trump's 2020 presidential campaign through his firm, Solgence.[14] He joined Caitlyn Jenner's campaign in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election in April 2021.[15] In January 2022, Politico reported that Cheung was considering a campaign 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.[16] He advised former Missouri governor Eric Greitens's campaign in the 2022 United States Senate election in Missouri.[17] Cheung helped orchestrate the 2020 Republican National Convention.[18] In September 2022, he was appointed as the director of communications for MAGA Inc., a super PAC for Trump.[19] By March 2023, Cheung had been leading communications for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.[20] As the campaign's director of communications, he wrote several of Trump's posts on Truth Social.[21] In August 2024, NPR reported that several members of Trump campaign's staff had engaged in a physical altercation with an official at Arlington National Cemetery. Cheung told NPR that the cemetery worker was "suffering from a mental health episode" and asserted that the campaign had permission to film at the cemetery.[22] Cheung's media strategy involved working with the media and decrying it. The New Yorker described Cheung's rhetoric as relatively "shocking".[23] White House Communications Director (2025–present)On November 15, 2024, president-elect Donald Trump named Cheung as his White House communications director.[24] NotesReferences
Works cited
External links Wikiquote has quotations related to Steven Cheung.
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