Steven Cheung (political advisor)

Cheung was born in Sacramento, California, to Chinese parents who had immigrated to the U.S. and was raised in Sacramento.{{Cite magazine |last=Sokolove |first=Michael |title=How Trump's 2024 campaign became a bloody cage fight |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/04/donald-trump-spokesman-steven-cheung-ufc/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |magazine=Mother Jones}}{{Cite news |date=April 26, 2024 |title=Meet Donald Trump's 'sumo wrestler' campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3260339/meet-donald-trumps-sumo-wrestler-spokesman-steven-cheung-he-interned-under-arnold-schwarzenegger-did |access-date=May 22, 2024 |newspaper=South China Morning Post}} He was a football player at Kennedy High School.{{Cite magazine |last=Sokolove |first=Michael |title=How Trump's 2024 campaign became a bloody cage fight |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/04/donald-trump-spokesman-steven-cheung-ufc/ |access-date=May 22, 2024 |magazine=Mother Jones}}{{cite news |last1=Large |first1=Steve |title=Trump's pick for White House communications director grew up in Sacramento - CBS Sacramento |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/trumps-pick-for-white-house-communications-director-grew-up-in-sacramento/ |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=www.cbsnews.com |date=18 November 2024}} He attended California State University, Sacramento, majoring in computer science and political science, but did not earn a degree.{{cite news |last=Macht |first=Daniel |date=2024-11-15 |title=President-elect Trump names Sacramento native Steven Cheung as WH communications director |url=https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-steven-cheung-white-house-communications-director/62922441 |publisher=KCRA |access-date=2025-02-02}}

As a college student in 2003, Cheung became an intern in then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's communications and speechwriting office in California.{{Cite web|title=BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Steven Cheung, senior communications adviser for the Trump reelect|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/23/playbook-birthday-steven-cheung-335271|access-date=August 29, 2024|website=Politico|date=June 23, 2020 |language=en}}{{Cite web|first1=Lachlan |last1=Markay |first2=Alayna |last2=Treene |first3=Jonathan |last3=Swan|title=Caitlyn Jenner files paperwork to run for governor of California|url=https://www.axios.com/caitlyn-jenner-california-governor-run-710153ef-7a89-460d-b9ec-9efed2a9399f.html|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Axios|date=April 23, 2021 |language=en}} He moved to Washington, D.C. in 2008 to work on John McCain's presidential campaign.{{Cite web|date=July 11, 2016|first=Alison|last=Kanski|title=Trump campaign bulks up comms team with Bryan Lanza and Steven Cheung|url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1401930|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=prweek.com|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sokolove |first=Michael |title=How Trump's 2024 campaign became a bloody cage fight |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/04/donald-trump-spokesman-steven-cheung-ufc/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Mother Jones |language=en-US}} Cheung has served on the campaigns of Steve Poizner for California governor, Sharron Angle for U.S. Senate, and Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst for U.S. Senate.{{Cite web|title=Ted Cruz says David Dewhurst's camp called him a Chinese Communist|url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2011/oct/11/ted-cruz/ted-cruz-says-david-dewhursts-camp-called-him-chin/|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Politico|language=en-US}} In 2013, Cheung transitioned into a career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he worked as "a director of communications for public affairs at the UFC".{{Cite web|title=Donald Trump Hires UFC Press Agent to Be His New "Rapid Response" Guy|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/kbdbje/donald-trump-hires-ufc-press-agent-to-be-his-new-rapid-response-guy|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=vice.com|date=July 12, 2016 |language=en}} He was involved in the UFC practice of banning reporters critical of the organization from live events.{{Cite web |title=Donald Trump has hired a former UFC executive for presidential campaign |url=https://www.sportsjoe.ie/mma/donald-trump-has-hired-a-former-ufc-executive-for-presidential-campaign-86927 |access-date=February 17, 2022 |website=SportsJOE.ie |date=July 12, 2016 |language=en}}

Before then-candidate Donald Trump was nominated as the Republican presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention in 2016, Cheung left his job at the UFC and joined the Trump campaign's communications and press team as Director of Rapid Response.{{Cite web|date=July 11, 2016|title=Donald Trump hires former UFC staffer to presidential campaign|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/donald-trump-hires-ufc-staffer-campaign|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=For The Win|language=en-US}} His duties included "keeping the campaign up to date on breaking news and pushing back on false or unbalanced reporting" according to a press release.{{Cite press release|title=Trump Campaign Announces Expansion of Communications Team |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/press-release-trump-campaign-announces-expansion-communications-team|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=The American Presidency Project|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217063612/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/press-release-trump-campaign-announces-expansion-communications-team|url-status=dead}}

Cheung was involved{{How|date=August 2024}} in a statement disavowing support from the Ku Klux Klan and a white supremacist newspaper, who endorsed Trump's campaign. He said, "Mr. Trump and the campaign denounces hate in any form. This publication is repulsive and their views do not represent the tens of millions of Americans who are uniting behind our campaign."{{Cite news|date=November 2, 2016|title=Ku Klux Klan newspaper declares support for Trump|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-kkk-idUSKBN12X2IG|access-date=February 17, 2022}}

After Trump's victory over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Cheung was named as an advisor to the presidential transition team.{{Cite web|title=Trump adds vice chairs to transition team, including several women|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/11/trump-adds-vice-chairs-to-transition-team-including-several-women-231975|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Politico|date=November 29, 2016 |language=en}}{{Cite press release|title=President-Elect Donald J. Trump Announces New Vice Chairs and Executive Committee Members Serving on Presidential Transition Team|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/press-release-president-elect-donald-j-trump-announces-new-vice-chairs-and-executive|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=The American Presidency Project}}{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Heath|date=December 12, 2016|title=Focus on communications, not policy, sets Trump transition apart|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-administration/309937-extreme-focus-on-communications-not-policy-sets-trump|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=The Hill|language=en}} According to media reports, he was at one point considered for the role of White House Press Secretary.{{Cite news|title=White House press briefings could be totally bonkers under Donald Trump|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/12/white-house-press-briefings-could-be-totally-bonkers-under-donald-trump/|access-date=February 17, 2022|issn=0190-8286}} That job ultimately went to Sean Spicer.{{Cite web |date=December 22, 2016 |title=Trump names Sean Spicer press secretary, announces other senior members of his press team |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/22/trump-names-sean-spicer-press-secretary-announces-other-senior-members-of-his-press-team.html |access-date=May 19, 2022 |website=CNBC |language=en}}

Cheung was named as Special Assistant to the President and Assistant Communications Director at the White House on January 19, 2017, one day prior to Trump's inauguration.

He was part of a team tasked with helping nominate and confirm Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court. Gorsuch was eventually confirmed to the Supreme Court by the United States Senate by a 54–45 vote.{{Cite web|last=Karni|first=Annie|title=White House aide Steven Cheung leaves communications staff|url=https://politi.co/2l0T0Um|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Politico|date=June 11, 2018 |language=en}}

Shortly after Gorsuch's confirmation, Cheung assumed a different position at the White House.{{Cite web |last=Estepa |first=Jessica |title=Hope Hicks is officially the White House communications director |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/09/12/hope-hicks-officially-white-house-communications-director/657008001/ |access-date=May 21, 2022 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}

On August 16, 2017, Cheung was appointed as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Response.{{Cite web|date=September 13, 2017|title=Political power plays|url=https://www.axios.com/political-power-plays-1513305467-2dc1f2ed-9afa-4c12-be87-157efab6c7ca.html|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Axios|language=en}} He then worked on the passage of Trump's tax reform bill, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.{{Cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Luis|date=June 11, 2018|title=White House communications aide Steven Cheung leaves position: report|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/391688-white-house-communications-aide-leaves-white-house|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=The Hill|language=en}} The bill successfully passed Congress and Trump signed it into law on December 22, 2017.{{Cite web|title=Here's When the GOP Tax Reform Bill Will Take Effect|url=https://fortune.com/2017/12/20/gop-tax-bill-cuts-start/|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Fortune|language=en}}

According to the book Sinking in the Swamp: How Trump's Minions and Misfits Poisoned Washington, Cheung, along with three others, were referred to as "the killers" in the White House by Jared Kushner and Stephen Bannon. They were considered by Bannon to be "innovative and action oriented".{{Cite book|last1=Markay|first1=Lachlan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WyLKDwAAQBAJ&dq=Steven+Cheung+Trump+book&pg=PA128|title=Sinking in the Swamp: How Trump's Minions and Misfits Poisoned Washington|last2=Suebsaeng|first2=Asawin|year=2020|publisher=Penguin|page=130 |isbn=978-1-9848-7856-4|language=en}}

On June 11, 2018, Politico reported Cheung left the White House, amid a contentious period with Chief of Staff John F. Kelly making changes to Trump's White House communications staff. Amid leaks and infighting, Kelly overhauled the communications team, which led to additional departures. It was later revealed that Cheung's annual White House salary was $131,000.{{Cite web|last=Bindrim|first=Kira|title=All of Donald Trump's White House staffers, ranked by salary|url=https://qz.com/1019868/who-makes-the-most-money-in-trumps-white-house/|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Quartz|date=July 2017 |language=en}} Cheung later appeared in a contentious interview with CNN on June 28, 2018, where critics accused him of politicizing the confirmation process of the United States Supreme Court.{{Cite web |title=CNN - Transcripts |url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1806/28/nday.03.html |access-date=May 19, 2022 |website=CNN}}

Politico reported that President Trump's 2020 re-election campaign retained the services of the firm Solgence, which is owned and operated by Cheung.{{Cite web|last=Beavers|first=David|title=Former Trump staffers consulting for president's reelect|url=https://politi.co/2z4DsWE|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Politico|date=August 15, 2019 |language=en}} As part of the 2020 campaign, Cheung worked on putting together the Republican National Convention in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite news|last=Scherer|first=Michael|date=August 28, 2020|title=Republicans try to change President Trump's image for skeptical voters|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-try-to-change-president-trumps-image-for-skeptical-voters/2020/08/28/00bdc284-e871-11ea-970a-64c73a1c2392_story.html|access-date=February 18, 2022}}

After the 2020 US presidential election, in which Trump was defeated by Joe Biden, Cheung was involved in the Trump campaign's efforts to overturn the election. Despite Trump's claims, according to experts, there has been no evidence of election fraud.{{Cite news|last1=Corasaniti|first1=Nick|last2=Epstein|first2=Reid J.|last3=Rutenberg|first3=Jim|date=November 11, 2020|title=The Times Called Officials in Every State: No Evidence of Voter Fraud|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/us/politics/voting-fraud.html|access-date=February 17, 2022|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|last=Farley|first=Robert|date=November 8, 2020|title=FactCheck: Trump sticks with bogus voter fraud claim|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/politics/factcheck/FactCheck-Trump-sticks-with-bogus-voter-fraud-claim.html|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Philadelphia Inquirer|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Farley|first=Robert|date=November 28, 2016|title=Trump Sticks With Bogus Voter Fraud Claims|url=https://www.factcheck.org/2016/11/trump-sticks-with-bogus-voter-fraud-claims/|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=FactCheck.org|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|last=Wolfe|first=Jan|date=January 6, 2022|title=Factbox: Trump's false claims debunked: the 2020 election and Jan. 6 riot|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-false-claims-debunked-2020-election-jan-6-riot-2022-01-06/|access-date=February 17, 2022}}

Cheung was named the spokesman of the Trump 2024 presidential campaign. After Trump was criticized in October 2023 for his statement that undocumented immigrants were "poisoning the blood of our country," Cheung responded:

{{blockquote|That's a normal phrase that is used in everyday life – in books, television, movies, and in news articles. For anyone to think that is racist or xenophobic is living in an alternate reality consumed with non-sensical [sic] outrage.{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Kate |title=Trump's anti-immigrant comments draw rebuke |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/06/politics/trump-anti-immigrant-comments/index.html |work=CNN|date=October 6, 2023}}}}

After Trump was criticized in November 2023 for referring to his political opponents as "vermin", Cheung said:

{{blockquote|Those who try to make that ridiculous assertion are clearly snowflakes grasping for anything because they are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome and their sad, miserable existence will be crushed when President Trump returns to the White House.{{cite news |last=Gold |first=Michael |title=After Calling Foes 'Vermin,' Trump Campaign Warns Its Critics Will Be 'Crushed' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/13/us/politics/trump-vermin-rhetoric-fascists.html |work=The New York Times |date=November 13, 2023}}}}

Cheung was a senior advisor on the 2022 U.S. Senate campaign of former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, who resigned amid allegations of sexual assault and campaign finance impropriety.{{Cite web|title=CNN - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos|url=http://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_78fb1dc51adf3c7f2327141e1dd1b17e|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=lite.cnn.com|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217063603/http://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_78fb1dc51adf3c7f2327141e1dd1b17e|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last=Treene|first=Alayna|title=Trump Republicans eager to dethrone McConnell as GOP leader|url=https://www.axios.com/trump-allies-dethrone-mcconnell-4aa5a197-74db-4a6c-a702-d22d17613b70.html|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Axios|date=15 December 2021 |language=en}}

Axios reported that Cheung joined as senior advisor to reality star Caitlyn Jenner's unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in California during the 2021 recall election.

Cheung also served as an advisor and spokesperson for former congressman Jim Renacci's 2022 campaign for Ohio governor.{{Cite web|last=Ball|first=Brian|date=August 18, 2021|title=Renacci Asks Ohio Attorney General, Secretary of State to Investigate Sources of DeWine Campaign Cash|url=https://theohiostar.com/2021/08/18/renacci-asks-ohio-attorney-general-secretary-of-state-to-investigate-sources-of-dewine-campaign-cash/|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=The Ohio Star|language=en-US}}

Media outlets reported in 2022 that Cheung began advising cryptocurrency entrepreneur and philanthropist Brock Pierce, a former child star linked to Jeffrey Epstein and the DEN collapse & financial & sex scandal.{{Cite web |last=Masters |first=Kim |date=2019-09-18 |title=The Strange Saga of Jeffrey Epstein's Link to a Child Star Turned Cryptocurrency Mogul |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/strange-saga-jeffrey-epstein-s-link-brock-pierce-1240462/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Schreckinger |first=Ben |title=Bannon is helping a Vermont crypto bro get elected to the Senate |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/22/bannon-is-helping-a-vermont-crypto-bro-get-elected-to-the-senate-00027264 |access-date=May 19, 2022 |website=Politico|date=April 22, 2022 |language=en}}

On August 27, 2024, an incident occurred at Arlington National Cemetery in which two Trump staffers, Justin Caporale and Michel Picard, shoved a cemetery employee who was trying to stop the Trump team from photographing and video recording a campaign promotion in a heavily restricted area of the cemetery known as Section 60, a burial site that is primarily reserved for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. A federal law prohibits the use of U.S. military facilities, cemeteries in particular, for political campaigns.

Cheung claimed the woman was "suffering from a mental health episode," which military officials said was false. He alleged the cemetery employee "initiated physical contact that was unwarranted and unnecessary" and said the campaign would release video to support its account, which it never did. The cemetery employee filed an incident report with military officials, but declined to press charges, fearing retribution from Trump supporters. Cheung characterized that concern as "ridiculous and sounds like someone who has Trump Derangement Syndrome". The Trump campaign posted a TikTok video of the visit the next day, during which Trump is heard criticizing the Biden-Harris administration for the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.{{Cite news | author = Fowler, Stephen | author2 = Bowman, Tom | author3 = Lawrence, Quil | title = Trump deputy campaign manager identified in Arlington National Cemetery dustup | url = https://www.npr.org/2024/09/05/nx-s1-5101991/trump-campaign-arlington-national-cemetery-staff-debate | work = NPR | date = September 5, 2024 | access-date = September 21, 2024 | language = English | quote = The two staffers, according to a source with knowledge of the incident, are deputy campaign manager Justin Caporale and Michel Picard, a member of Trump’s advance team.}}{{Cite news |last=Bowman |first=Tom |date=August 27, 2024 |title=Trump Campaign Staff had Altercation with Official at Arlington National Cemetery |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery |access-date=August 30, 2024 |work=NPR}}{{Cite web |last=Haberman |first=Maggie |date=August 27, 2024 |title=Trump Team Clashed with Official at Arlington National Cemetery |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/27/us/politics/trump-arlington-cemetery-clash.html |access-date=August 30, 2024 |website=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |last=Haberman |first=Maggie |date=August 28, 2024 |title=Trump Videos at Grave Dismay Family of Green Beret Buried at Arlington |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/us/politics/trump-arlington-cemetery.html |access-date=August 30, 2024 |website=The New York Times}}{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=Soo Rin |last2=Walsh |first2=Kelsey |last3=Ibssa |first3=Lalee |last4=Murray |first4=Isabella |title=Trump posts campaign video of Arlington National Cemetery visit after 'incident' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Photos/arlington-national-cemetery-confirms-incident-trump-team-remembrance/story?id=113201141 |access-date=August 30, 2024 |publisher=ABC News |date=August 28, 2024}}

As of 2023, Cheung was the communications director of Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC.{{Cite news |date=2022-10-25 |title=Trump eyes longtime Virginia operative for senior 2024 campaign role |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/25/trump-campaign-lacivita |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230331050435/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/25/trump-campaign-lacivita/ |archive-date=2023-03-31 |access-date=2025-02-28 |work=Washington Post |language=en |df=mdy}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2022/10/26/trump-linked-super-pac-spends-millions-in-these-key-senate-races/|title=Trump-Linked Super PAC Spends Millions In These Key Senate Races|first=Sara|last=Dorn|date=October 26, 2022|website=Forbes}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/23/trump-midterms-2024-pac-00058515|title=Trump to unleash millions in the midterms in possible prelude to 2024|first=Alex|last=Isenstadt|date=September 23, 2022|website=Politico}}{{Cite news |last=Orr |first=Gabby |last2=Merica |first2=Dan |last3=Schouten |first3=Fredreka |date=2022-09-23 |title=Trump allies launch new super PAC to bolster GOP candidates in midterms as former President eyes 2024 campaign |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/23/politics/donald-trump-allies-super-pac/index.html |access-date=2025-02-28 |work=CNN |department=CNN Politics |language=en |df=mdy}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/6236403/trump-2024-campaign-team-maga-fringe/|title=Trump Has a 'Solid' 2024 Team But MAGA Fringe Never Far Away|date=November 23, 2022|magazine=Time}}{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3658054-top-trump-allies-launch-super-pac-to-back-endorsed-candidates/|title=Top Trump allies launch super PAC to back endorsed candidates|first=Brett|last=Samuels|date=September 23, 2022|work=The Hill}}{{Cite web |last=Petrizzo |first=Zachary |last2=Lahut |first2=Jake |date=2022-12-09 |title=Did Donald Trump Already Forget He’s Running for President? |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/did-donald-trump-already-forget-hes-running-for-president/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=The Daily Beast |language=en |df=mdy}}

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