The Real Reasons Donald Trump And Liz Cheney Can't Stand Each Other
As the daughter of a former Republican vice president, Liz Cheney is a member of political royalty. Still, that doesn't earn her any favor with GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. In fact, the two are sworn enemies, and any hopes of a future truce are improbable.
Cheney and Trump's relationship is highly contentious, and it's safe to say that no love is lost between them. Cheney was a rising star of the Republican party, and she was pegged as a potential House speaker until Republican lawmakers gave her the boot in May 2021. Her downfall was choosing to support the U.S. Constitution over Trump, refusing to back his baseless claim that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 election and calling for his impeachment for allegedly inciting the January 6, 2021 Capitol Hill riots. "I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office," Cheney told reporters after her axing (via Guardian News).
Trump's reaction to Cheney's ouster was suitably vitriolic. "Liz Cheney is a bitter, horrible human being. I watched her yesterday and realized how bad she is for the Republican Party," Trump said in a statement (per The Young Turks). "She has no personality or anything good having to do with politics or our Country." Fast-forward three years to 2024, and their bitter battle shows no sign of abatement.
Trump and Cheney's war of words
One thing is sure about Donald Trump: if you dare to challenge him, he will come right back at you with all of his might. One of Trump's adversaries who's continually ended up firmly in his crosshairs is Liz Cheney. On March 17, Trump called for Cheney to be imprisoned for acting as Vice Chair of the Congressional Committee that investigated his role in the January 6 Capitol attack.
"She should be prosecuted for what she has done to our country! She illegally destroyed the evidence. Unreal!" Trump posted on Truth Social, along with an article claiming the Committee supposedly suppressed proof of his innocence. "Lying in all caps doesn't make it true, Donald. You know you and your lawyers have long had the evidence," Cheney clapped back on X, formerly known as Twitter.
As hard as Trump has continued to attack Cheney, she has shown no sign of backing down — and she has also called out Republicans who refuse to question the former president. In her book "Oath and Honor," Cheney branded Trump "the most dangerous man ever to inhabit the Oval Office." She claimed he "made a purposeful choice to violate his oath of office, to ignore the ongoing violence against law enforcement, to threaten our Constitutional order." Chaney also slammed House Speaker Mike Johnson for purportedly toadying up to Trump and being "especially susceptible to flattery" from him.
Trump and Cheney's family feud
It's no secret that Donald Trump and Liz Cheney can't stand each other — and the loathing runs in the family. Liz's father, Dick Cheney, who served as George W. Bush's vice president, released a video in August 2022 calling for Republicans to wake up and recognize Donald's true colors. "He is a coward. A real man wouldn't lie to his supporters. He lost his election, and he lost big," the former VP said, claiming there had never been "a greater threat to our Republic."
Donald Trump Jr. leaped to his dad's defense and jumped on the Cheney hater train in May 2021. He mocked Liz after she vowed to prevent his father's reelection. "LOL, What's Liz Cheney going to do? Take 75,000,000 people quail hunting?" he posted on X, referencing the infamous 2006 incident in which her father accidentally shot Texas attorney Harry Whittington while they were hunting quail on a ranch.
Still, there haven't always been insults and animosity between the Cheneys and Trumps. Shortly after Dick's takedown, a 2018 video resurfaced of Donald praising him while speaking to Liz and Representative Adam Kinzinger. In the clip, she thanked Donald for increasing military resources. "Thank you, Liz," he said. "And say hello to your father, please. Great guy."