A decades-long White House tradition was just ditched at Dick Cheney’s funeral, proving exactly who the family thinks as the real ‘greater threat to our republic’

The decades-long tradition of a sitting president paying respects to a deceased former vice president has officially been ditched, as President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will not be attending Dick Cheney’s funeral this week. Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush, passed away on November 3 at 84. His funeral is scheduled for Thursday, November 20, at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., starting at 11:00 AM.

As per Axios, President Trump was not on the invite-only guest list for the service, which is a major break from expected protocol. While it isn’t legally required, it’s customary for the current president to attend services for former presidents or vice presidents who die while they are still in office.

President Trump’s public schedule doesn’t list the funeral. Instead, he’s slated to receive his intelligence briefing at 11:00 AM, the exact time the service begins. Vice President Vance was seemingly not invited to the event either.

The feud between Trump and the Cheney family goes long back

The decision to exclude the current administration is a direct reflection of the intense, years-long feud between the Cheney family and President Trump. This is not a good look for the White House, considering the funeral is expected to be a massive bipartisan affair. It’s clear the family is drawing a hard line on who they consider a friend and who they view as a threat to the nation.

The tension between the two camps escalated significantly after the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Dick Cheney’s daughter, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, was one of only 10 Republicans who crossed party lines to vote for President Trump’s second impeachment. After this break, she lost her leadership role in the House and failed to win her primary race in 2022, a campaign where President Trump actively backed her opponent.

During her reelection efforts, Dick Cheney made a highly publicized campaign video supporting his daughter and delivering one of the most blistering attacks against a sitting president in modern history. The former Vice President didn’t mince words.

He stated, “In our nation’s 246-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.” Cheney then added that the president “tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him.” He continued his attack, calling President Trump “a coward,” saying, “A real man wouldn’t lie to his supporters. He lost his election and he lost big. I know it, he knows it, and, deep down, I think most Republicans know it.”

Cheney made it clear that his daughter’s mission was paramount, adding that there was “nothing more important she will ever do than lead the effort to make sure Donald Trump is never again near the Oval Office and she will succeed.”

Liz Cheney has certainly continued that mission. She and her father both endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.