WASHINGTON — The White House offered no public condolences Tuesday on the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney — saying flags were lowered to half-staff at the executive mansion because the law requires it.
President Trump has repeatedly attacked Cheney, who died Monday at age 84, as a “warmonger” and sparred with his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) who served as the top Republican on the House select committee that investigated Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Both Dick and Liz Cheney endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris in last year’s election, with the former VP saying Trump was the greatest threat to the country since its founding.
“Last I checked, the president had not commented on the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Is the White House involved in the funeral arrangements in any way?” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked during her regular briefing.
“Does the president plan to speak at the funeral? Has he spoken to anyone in the Cheney family today?And does the White House have an opinion on whether or not the former vice president should lie in honor or state in the Capitol?”
Leavitt tersely replied: “I don’t believe the White House is involved in that planning, or at least hasn’t gotten to it yet. I know the president is aware of the former vice president’s passing, and as you saw, flags have been lowered to half staff in according to a statutory law.”
The US Flag Code requires the Stars and Stripes to be lowered after the death of a former vice president “from the day of death until interment.”
“In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” Cheney said in a statement endorsing Harris.
“He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again.”
