The White House is saying as little as possible about the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying flags had been lowered on federal government buildings “in accordance with statutory law.
Leavitt made the brief comments in response to a question about whether the White House would be part of funeral arrangements for Cheney, who died on Monday at the age of 84 after experiencing complications with pneumonia, cardiac and vascular disease.
Although House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is responsible for deciding whether Cheney lies in state in Congress, Cheney had a complicated relationship with President Donald Trump because of their different personalities and politics, with Cheney, at one point, describing Trump as a “coward” and a threat to the republic.
That dynamic between Trump and Cheney could also undermine the prospect of the White House providing Cheney’s family with an opportunity to host a state funeral for the former vice president.
“I don’t believe the White House is involved in that planning, or at least haven’t, hasn’t gotten to it yet,” Leavitt said at the White House press briefing Tuesday. “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 accordance with statutory law.”
Trump has not conveyed his condolences to Cheney’s family over the former vice president’s death, instead using his social media platform to speak about the importance of Tuesday night’s off-year elections.
Trump also had a complicated relationship with former Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, the former vice president’s daughter and vice chair of the House Select Jan. 6 Committee, the congressional panel that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol over allegations Trump won the 2020 election. Both Cheneys campaigned and voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris last year.
Cheney, widely regarded as one of the most powerful vice presidents in the modern era, had a long history of cardiovascular disease and suffered from five heart attacks.
“His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed,” Cheney’s family wrote in a statement on Tuesday. “Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing.”
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His family added: “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”