White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung called Sen. Mark Warner’s (D-VA) own communications director a “r*tard” during an online spat on Tuesday.

The dust-up began after Warner’s communications director, Rachel Cohen, complained about CNN interviewing former Trump administration official Tricia McLaughlin.

“WHY is CNN interviewing Tricia McLaughlin right now,” Cohen protested. “She is easily the most mendacious spokesperson I’ve had the displeasure of encountering in 15 years of doing this. What could she POSSIBLY have to say that adds to viewers’ understanding of anything??”

Cheung responded, “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.”

Cohen shot 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? 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!”

To which Cheung replied, “Hey r*tard, you must be thinking of someone else. Nobody would ask your simple ass for help.”

Cheung previously used the word “r*tard” to describe two members of Congress – Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) – in February after they pushed for the full release of the Epstein files.

“Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie are some of the dumbest r*tards ever to be in Congress,” wrote Cheung at the time. “They knowingly and willfully ruined the lives of innocent people who had nothing to do with Epstein.”

After President Donald Trump himself used the word during a rant against Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz last year, a reporter asked the president, “You mentioned Tim Walz and you called him what many Americans do find an offensive word, ‘ret*rded.’ Do you stand by that claim of calling Tim Walz ret*rded?”

“Yeah, I think there’s something wrong with him,” Trump responded. “Absolutely. Sure. You have a problem with it? You know what? I think there’s something wrong with him.”

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