Washington, D.C., paused Thursday to bid farewell to former Vice President Dick Cheney, a towering figure of pre-MAGA Republicanism whose influence helped define American foreign policy in the post-9/11 era — and whose final years were marked by open defiance of the movement that has since reshaped his party.
The invitation-only funeral at the National Cathedral brought together an elite cross-section of American political history: two former presidents, all living former vice presidents, Supreme Court justices, and congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle. But conspicuously absent were President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance — neither of whom were invited.
It wasn’t just a missing seat; it was a symbolic line in the sand.
Cheney, once the embodiment of hardline conservatism — from his role in crafting the Bush-era war on terror to his staunch defense of executive power — had, in recent years, become a vocal critic of Trump and a quiet ally of the political old guard. Though he had endorsed Trump in 2016, Cheney’s tone shifted sharply as the party transformed. His daughter, Liz Cheney, became one of the most prominent anti-Trump Republicans in Congress, a stance that ultimately cost her a leadership role — and her seat.
At the memorial, George W. Bush, who shared eight years in office with Cheney, delivered a eulogy that focused on character over controversy. He remembered Cheney as a “consummate public servant” — intelligent, measured, and principled. “His talent and restraint exceeded his ego,” Bush said, recalling that Cheney had initially resisted becoming his running mate, preferring to stay behind the scenes.
When we say Uniparty, this is who we mean
Take a good look pic.twitter.com/sj9usV62UO
— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) November 20, 2025
Others attending included former Presidents Bush and Biden, Vice Presidents Harris, Pence, Gore, and Quayle, and leaders like Nancy Pelosi, John Thune, and Mitch McConnell. Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Kavanaugh and Kagan, also paid their respects.
Cheney was honored with full military rites, a fitting tribute for a man who once led the Pentagon and served as defense secretary during the first Gulf War. And yet, the tone of the service often hinted at the broader clash between two Republican legacies: Cheney’s brand of institutional conservatism and the populist-nationalist movement now led by Trump.
There was no official statement of condolence from Trump, who has long viewed the Cheneys — father and daughter alike — as relics of a bygone era, and in many ways, political enemies. Cheney, in turn, called Trump “a coward” and “the greatest threat to our republic” in the final year of his life.
Even Mike Pence, who now walks his own tightrope with MAGA-aligned voters, shared advice Cheney once gave him on how to navigate the complexities of the vice presidency — advice rooted in preparation, discretion, and institutional loyalty.
While some may have hoped Cheney’s death would prompt a brief truce in the Republican civil war, the funeral instead reinforced how irreconcilable the party’s divisions have become. The guest list told the story: a reunion of the establishment, without the current standard-bearers.
On the final page of the funeral program was a quote from John Muir: “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” Fitting words for a man who always preferred resolve over retreat.
