White House communications director Steven Cheung has built a reputation for his profanity-laced, scorched-earth style—but author Michael Wolff, one of Cheung’s favorite punching bags, thinks his combative persona is just theater.
“Steven is actually a really sweet guy,” said Wolff—whom Cheung once called a “lying sack of s–t”—on this week’s episode of The Daily Beast Podcast.
“There’s a sort of tragic feel about (Cheung) because he’s so heavy,” Wolff continued, arguing that he has to be “hidden away” and can’t become White House press secretary because the candidate “has to be a young woman.”
Wolff, who has penned a series of blistering books on President Trump, claimed that during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, Cheung was “always collapsing somewhere.”
He cited a specific event at Union Station where he said he witnessed Cheung “having to be carried out.”
Cheung, a former spokesperson for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, fired back at Wolff in a statement to the Daily Beast.
“Michael Wolff clearly suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome and begged like a dog for an interview for his failed book,” he said. “The only thing being carried out is his dignity after (he) continues to embarrass and beclown himself in a fleeting attempt to gain relevancy.”
Wolff has grown accustomed to Cheung’s attacks, which he believes are all part of a show for Trump, who famously rewards loyalty—and venom.
“Whatever Steven says or does is directed to an audience of one,” the author said. “He issues these kinds of vituperative comments, which Trump likes. ‘That’s a good one,’ Trump will say.”
“It’s performative,” added host Joanna Coles, who was herself described as a “blithering idiot” and a “piece of s–t” by Cheung last month, after she questioned the president’s eyebrow-raising weight loss claims.
CNN had this blithering idiot on @InsidePolitics from the Daily Beast named @JoannaColes making unsubstantiated claims about President Trump’s health. Joanna is a piece of shit, clearly suffering from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome rotting her pea-sized brain.
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) April 27, 2025
Wolff—also recently hit with the “blithering idiot” tag—dismissed the insults as “all boilerplate,” and claimed the White House even called him ahead of time to let him know Cheung would insult him as such.
“It’s all being sort of in on the joke here,” Wolff said.
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