I’ve been seeing an interesting piece of political-circle gossip lately: a story about a Chinese-American senior figure who’s around Trump. This guy is named Zhang Zhenxi, Steven Cheung—he’s the only Chinese-American senior figure on Trump’s team, and he’s also the most die-hard type of speechwriter.

To be honest, this fellow used to thrive around Trump, with a mouth that was really tough. Clapping back at reporters and dissing celebrities was just part of his everyday routine, and his “wolf-warrior” style remarks were already his trademark. Everyone had gotten used to his fiercely protective, steadfast way of defending the boss. But recent developments have made people a bit surprised—there are rumors that he has lost Trump’s trust and has been kicked out of the inner circle.

The most explosive thing happened on January 13. Trump went to visit the Ford factory in Michigan, and as a result, he was scolded face-to-face by a worker, who called him a “child predator protector,” and even said the government has been dragging its feet on not releasing Jeffrey Epstein’s documents. Right then and there, Trump flipped the bird and used filthy language, making the situation extremely awkward. This might have just blown over, but Zhang Zhenxi immediately jumped out to issue a statement, saying things like, “A completely out-of-control lunatic went on a wild profanity spree, and the President gave him the most appropriate response.”

As it turns out, that line directly blew up. Media and netizens all pounced on it, berating him for “being so low-class with wolf-warrior boss protection” and “how can the White House talk like that?” Reuters, Yahoo, and China News all reported it, with the focus all on the fact that he called the protester a “lunatic.” Tell me—wasn’t he digging his own grave?

Later, there were also rumors that he opposed certain actions by some law enforcement departments, but these are basically just factional infighting rumors within MAGA, and there’s no confirmation from mainstream media. On X, these rumors are everywhere, and the information is full of water. Also, others say he shows off his wealth—luxury cars, mansions, and the like—which probably makes people annoyed as well.

The current situation is that Steven Cheung—who used to be Trump’s most loyal gunman—is gradually becoming a role that people within his own camp dislike. Put simply, it’s that he’s been overprotective of the boss, and combined with his long-standing, volatile style, he has slowly gotten everyone irritated. Politics—sometimes excessive loyalty can also backfire. This guy’s experience is a vivid example.