Trump and J.D. Vance Not Invited to Dick Cheney’s Funeral as Bipartisan Roster of Former Leaders Gathers

Leaders from both parties will gather Thursday at Washington’s National Cathedral for the funeral of former Vice President Richard "Dick" Cheney, a defining figure of the pre‑MAGA Republican era.

According to a person familiar with the arrangements, neither President Donald Trump nor Vice President J.D. Vance received invitations to the private, invitation‑only memorial. The service, set for 11 a.m. ET, will include full military honors and is expected to draw more than 1,000 guests.

Prominent, bipartisan attendance

The guest list underscores a rare moment of cross‑aisle attendance in Washington. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Joe Biden are expected to pay their respects. The former vice presidents expected to attend include Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore and Dan Quayle.

Also expected at the service are several members of the Supreme Court, among them Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan, as well as numerous current and former Cabinet members from both Republican and Democratic administrations and congressional leaders from both parties. Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and former Senate leader Mitch McConnell are also on the attendee list.

Speakers and honors

Speakers at the service will include former President George W. Bush, Cheney’s daughter and former Representative Liz Cheney, and several of Cheney’s grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers will include members of Cheney’s Secret Service detail, his former chiefs of staff David Addington and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and photographer David Hume Kennerly.

One of the final pages in the service leaflet features a quotation from naturalist John Muir:

“The mountains are calling and I must go.”

Legacy and final years

Dick Cheney, who died on November 3 at the age of 84, served as vice president from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. Before that he was secretary of defense, White House chief of staff and a congressman from Wyoming. Long regarded as one of the most powerful vice presidents in modern American history, Cheney played a central role in shaping U.S. policy during the post‑9/11 era; his advocacy for the Iraq War contributed to a polarizing legacy.

Although Cheney had been a lifelong conservative who endorsed Donald Trump in 2016, he spent his final years publicly criticizing the former president. After Rep. Liz Cheney’s prominent role on the congressional committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, Cheney sharply rebuked Trump; in 2022 she described him as a "coward" and warned that no one posed a greater threat to the republic.

As of publication, President Trump had not publicly offered condolences or commented on Cheney’s death. The White House response was restrained: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the president was "aware" of Cheney’s death and noted that flags had been lowered to half‑staff.

The memorial is expected to be a formal, solemn occasion that brings together generations of political leaders to honor a consequential — and frequently contentious — public life.