Trump 'spin doctor' melts down and hurls offensive slur in spat with Senate aide: report
White House communications director Steven Cheung talks to reporters after arriving with Vice President JD Vance, after attending talks on Iran in Islamabad, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on April 12, 2026. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS

President Donald Trump's communications director Steven Cheung escalated a feud with a Senate staffer using an ableist slur to attack her on social media, according to reports on Wednesday.

Steven Cheung, Trump's "top spin doctor," got into a clash with Rachel Cohen, communications director for Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Senate Intelligence Committee communications director, The Daily Beast reported.

Cohen was asking why CNN decided to book Tricia McLaughlin, former Department of Homeland Security communications assistant, during a live panel broadcast on Tuesday. McLaughlin had left the Trump administration in February.

"She is easily the most mendacious spokesperson I’ve had the displeasure of encountering in 15 years of doing this," Cohen wrote on X. "What could she POSSIBLY have to say that adds to viewers’ understanding of anything??"

Cheung attempted to defend his former colleague — name-calling and firing off insults against Cohen.

"Don’t be jealous you’ll never get booked on TV because you’re a loser. @TriciaOhio is one of the best communicators around. You can learn a thing or two from her. But you won’t because, again, you’re a loser," Cheung wrote on X.

And Cohen struck back.

"Hey Steven, remember the time you were so bad at your job the West Wing called to ask us to intervene with the media to protect national security?" Cohen wrote. "Because you couldn’t get it done? I was told you were the one handling that story. I’d be happy to teach you how to do it next time!"

Cheung wrote in response to Cohen: "Hey r-----, you must be thinking of someone else. Nobody would ask your simple a-- for help."

The Trump administration aide has had several meltdowns in the past and has unleashed tirades on people he disagrees with before, including Trump biographer and journalist Michael Wolff, who he called a "lying sack" and "fraud."