The White House was largely silent about the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and whose daughter was a fierce critic of President Trump.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr. Trump was “aware” of Mr. Cheney’s death and noted that flags have been lowered to half-mast “in accordance to statutory law.”
When asked if the White House had been in touch with the Cheney family or involved in the funeral planning, she said, “I don’t believe the White House is involved in that planning, or at least hasn’t gotten to it yet.”
Mr. Cheney died at age 84. He served multiple Republican presidents before taking the role of vice president under President George W. Bush.
He’s known as one of the most powerful vice presidents in American history and helped Mr. Bush lead the country into a global war on terror after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Mr. Trump has been highly critical of Mr. Cheney and his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, Wyoming Republican. Ms. Cheney served as a lead on the House select committee that looked into Mr. Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Both father and daughter endorsed Ms. Harris, the Democratic candidate for the 2024 presidential election, over Mr. Trump.
Mr. Cheney wrote that, “In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”
“He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him,” he wrote. “He can never be trusted with power again.”
Ms. Cheney also campaigned for Ms. Harris.
Mr. Trump called Mr. Cheney “an irrelevant RINO, along with his daughter.”
