A California native with ties to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has emerged as one of the most closely watched names in the conversation over who could succeed outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Political observers say Steven Cheung, the current White House communications director, would be a logical choice for the post. Cheung already took on portions of Leavitt’s duties while she was on maternity leave, giving him direct experience in the role’s daily demands.
Cheung, a veteran Trump adviser and spokesman known for his aggressive defense of the president, was born in Sacramento to Chinese immigrant parents. He went on to study political science at California State University, Sacramento.
His path into political communications began while he was still a student, when he interned for Schwarzenegger. He later moved through a series of political campaign jobs before joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2013.
Since 2016, Cheung’s professional world has been tied to Trump. According to the book “Regime Change,” the president even gave him the nickname “Luca Brasi,” a reference to the feared enforcer loyal to a mafia boss in “The Godfather.”
Following Leavitt’s announcement, Cheung shared a photo of the two together and credited her for a “job well done.”
“Karoline has been the best teammate. She is fiercely loyal, unflappable, and a great person who serves the President with honor,” he wrote on X. “Although this is a sad day, we’re so happy for her and her family.”
Leavitt, 28, is a mother of two and the youngest person ever to serve as White House press secretary. She gave birth to her second child, Viviana, in May and formally returned from maternity leave last month. She said she is stepping down to spend more time with her children.
Other names being floated to replace Leavitt include Anna Kelly, the White House principal deputy press secretary, and Taylor Rogers, a senior communications official who previously worked on Trump’s campaign.
Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston and longtime Trump aide Margo Martin, one of the president’s closest communications advisers, could also be promoted to the role.
White House press secretaries have traditionally been drawn from within the administration’s communications team.
On predictions site Kalshi, Cheung was given a 13% chance to succeed Leavitt as of Wednesday afternoon. Bettors predicted that only Kelly and Alina Habba, a former personal lawyer for Trump, had higher odds, at 74% and 21%, respectively.
