President Donald Trump has reportedly bestowed a mafia-themed nickname on one of his most loyal aides, according to a forthcoming book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The president refers to White House communications director Steven Cheung as “Luca Brasi,” the fictional, ruthless enforcer who serves mafia boss Vito Corleone in “The Godfather,” one of Trump’s favorite films.
Book Excerpt Reveals Physical Description
In “Regime Change,” Haberman and Swan describe Cheung as “an astonishing sight roaming through the West Wing: physically enormous, with a low brow, a shaved head, great slablike hands, and an omnipresent sneer,” according to excerpts shared by Tina Brown on her Substack, Fresh Hell. The book also quotes Trump praising Cheung as “a more violent version of” North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Recent Controversial Behavior
Cheung has recently made headlines for aggressive conduct. He targeted a former top Trump official with an expletive-laden outburst, warned those doubting Trump’s power to “fuck around, find out,” and used a derogatory term during an online exchange with a Democratic staffer. These actions align with the tough-guy image implied by his nickname.
