A number of President Trump’s staunchest allies in Congress are publicly calling out Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., for her frequent breaks with the president on issues ranging from his handling of the coronavirus pandemic to foreign policy.
Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus tore into Cheney – the GOP conference chair and third highest-ranking House Republican – during a testy GOP conference meeting on Tuesday, with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, leading the charge.
Jordan — a Freedom Caucus co-founder and Trump loyalist – blasted Cheney for her criticism of Trump’s coronavirus response, his opposition to wearing masks, his denigration of infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and his reaction to reports that Russia offered bounties for the deaths of U.S. troops.
According to 360aproko news, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., chimed in by questioning if Cheney was trying to undermine the GOP’s chances of winning back control of the House in November. Biggs, who chairs the Freedom Caucus, added that anyone who has an issue with the president should keep it to themselves.
While most of the attacks on Cheney occurred behind the closed doors of the GOP conference, another member of Congress, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida – decided to take to social media to air his grievances with his colleague from Wyoming.
“Liz Cheney has worked behind the scenes (and now in public) against @realDonaldTrump and his agenda,” Gaetz tweeted. “House Republicans deserve better as our Conference Chair. Liz Cheney should step down or be removed.
The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., also decided to weigh in on Cheney on social media, comparing her to Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and accusing her of advocating for “endless wars.” Romney has become a particular target for Trump since he voted in favor of one of the counts of impeachment during the president’s trial earlier this year.
Cheney – the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney – stood her ground, according to reports, and lambasted Jordan for being a pain in Republican leadership’s side when the party controlled the House.
“I look forward to hearing your comments about being a team player when we’re back in the majority,” she said, according to sources in the room.
Following the conference, Cheney did not comment on the heated exchanges, but said that “we’re all unified.”
Despite the criticism from lawmakers like Jordan and Gaetz about Cheney’s lack of support for Trump, the president has remained surprisingly silent on the matter and has even praised Cheney during White House events. Cheney was also an outspoken critic of the impeachment charges brought against Trump by House Democrats.
