President Donald Trump was not invited to former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral, according to people who spoke to Axios. Normally, sitting presidents are invited to and often attend the funerals of former presidents and vice presidents, so this absence stands out.
The decision appears to be connected to the deep rift between Cheney and Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot. Following the attack, Cheney openly broke with Trump and made it clear he no longer supported him. In one of his daughter Liz Cheney’s campaign ads, he even called Trump a “coward.” Both Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney later said they voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election instead of supporting Trump or the Republican ticket.
Trump, in return, has repeatedly attacked both of them. On his social media platform, Truth Social, he mocked Liz Cheney as “one of the dumber people in politics” and dismissed Dick Cheney as an “irrelevant RINO” — a term that means “Republican In Name Only,” used as an insult for Republicans seen as disloyal or not conservative enough.
Dick Cheney died earlier this month at the age of 84 from complications related to pneumonia and heart and blood vessel disease. Despite Cheney’s long history in Republican politics and his role as vice president under George W. Bush, Trump did not release any public statement after Cheney’s death.
Other leaders, however, will be there to pay their respects. Former President Joe Biden is expected to attend the funeral. Former President George W. Bush, who served with Cheney in the White House and worked closely with him on major decisions such as the Iraq War, is expected to give a speech in Cheney’s honor.
