Washington DC - Speculation is rising about who President Donald Trump is considering to replace White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt with after her sudden departure.
According to The New York Post, a number of pundits believe Trump's White House Communications Director Steven Cheung would be "a natural fit" for the role of press secretary.
Cheung is a California native who was born to Chinese immigrant parents and attended California State University, Sacramento, to study political science.
While in college, he served as an intern to former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and in 2013, he landed a role working with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
In 2016, he joined Trump's first campaign, and has since built a reputation as a public defender of the president's most controversial views and policies.
He regularly uses social media to attack the opposition, shamelessly using charged and demeaning language to insult anyone who questions Trump or MAGA.
Trump has even given Cheung the nickname "Luca Brasi," a reference to a character who serves as an enforcer to a mob boss in the film The Godfather.
The speculation comes after President Trump announced on Wednesday that Leavitt was leaving her role to spend more time with family.
In a post to X, Cheung described Leavitt's exit as "a sad day," but praised her for being "fiercely loyal, unflappable, and a great person who serves the president with honor."
Other names being floated for the position include White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, Senior Communications Official Taylor Rogers, Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston, and longtime aide Margo Martin.