Political heavyweights gathered in Washington, D.C., on November 20 to honor former Vice President Dick Cheney — a towering figure in modern Republican politics whose influence stretched across decades. The ceremony drew an extraordinary list of attendees, including former Presidents Joe Biden and George W. Bush, along with every living former vice president. But two names were noticeably missing: President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Their absence wasn’t an accident — and, according to multiple sources, wasn’t a scheduling conflict either.
Trump and Vance were never invited.
While sitting presidents traditionally attend funerals for former national leaders, Cheney’s service was different. It was an invitation-only memorial, tightly controlled by the family, who opted for a more private farewell. A White House official said Trump had an intelligence briefing scheduled at the same time, but he issued no public statement about Cheney’s passing. Still, the administration ordered federal flags lowered to half-staff.
Vance, however, offered a brief tribute, calling Cheney “a guy who served his country,” and extended condolences to the family — a softer tone than many expected, given the longstanding tensions between the Trump movement and the Cheney political dynasty.
Inside the cathedral, the ceremony unfolded with full military honors. Former First Ladies Jill Biden and Laura Bush sat alongside Supreme Court justices and senior members of Congress, including Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell. It was a bipartisan moment rare in today’s Washington — a gathering of rivals united by respect for a man whose career shaped American politics, foreign policy, and the modern conservative movement.
Cheney, who died on November 3 at age 84, spent his final moments surrounded by his wife Lynne, daughters Liz and Mary, and other close family. The family cited complications from pneumonia, heart conditions, and vascular disease.
Before serving as vice president from 2001 to 2009, Cheney held some of the most powerful roles in U.S. government: Secretary of Defense, White House Chief of Staff, and a longtime congressman from Wyoming. To those who knew him, he was remembered as disciplined, sharp-minded, and unwavering in his sense of duty — qualities that defined an era and left a lasting imprint on the nation.
In the end, the funeral reflected the divide within today’s Republican Party just as much as it honored the man himself. Cheney’s legacy filled the room. Trump’s absence lingered quietly in the background.