Why Donald Trump and JD Vance Didn’t Attend Dick Cheney’s Funeral

Why Trump & Vance Weren’t at Cheney’s Funeral

1. They Weren’t Invited

   • Multiple sources, including The Washington Post and Fox News, say that neither Trump nor Vance received invitations to the funeral service. The Washington Post+2Fox News+2

   • This wasn’t just a scheduling issue — people familiar with the arrangements confirmed their exclusion. The Washington Post+1

2. Long-Running Political Feud

   • The Cheney family has had a very tense relationship with Trump. Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz Cheney were strongly critical of Trump. The Guardian+2mint+2

   • Liz Cheney, in particular, was a leading figure on the January 6 committee and publicly rebuked Trump — which likely deepened the rift. The Guardian

   • Cheney had publicly broken with Trump’s politics. For example, in 2024, he endorsed Kamala Harris over Trump. The Guardian

3. Vance Echoed the Split

   • J.D. Vance expressed condolences at a Breitbart event on the day of the funeral, but he also acknowledged “some political disagreements” with Cheney. Yahoo

   • In past commentary, Vance has criticized parts of Cheney’s legacy — for instance, his role in the Iraq War. Yahoo

4. Trump’s Silence & Half-Staff Flags

   • Trump has been publicly silent about Cheney’s death; he did not issue a presidential proclamation, which is often done when prominent figures die. The Washington Post+1

   • However, the White House did lower flags to half-staff in accordance with statutory law. The Washington Post+1

What This Means Politically

• The exclusion is highly symbolic. By not inviting Trump and Vance, the Cheney family is making a clear statement: the relationship with the Trump wing of the GOP — especially after Liz Cheney’s opposition — remains deeply fractured.

• This isn’t just a personal slight; it reflects ideological divisions within the Republican Party. Cheney was very much part of the old-guard, establishment GOP, and his funeral ended up being a gathering of that faction.

• For Trump and Vance, the snub also underlines how marginalized they are from certain parts of the Republican establishment, despite their prominence in contemporary conservative politics.