Former president lashes out at Liz Cheney over her criticism of ‘election lies’

DONALD TRUMP yesterday lashed out at Liz Cheney, the third-highest ranking House Republican leader, in a growing feud that has split the party.

The former president called the daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney, a “warmonger” who had “no business” in the party leadership as a result of “unknowingly and foolishly” saying that there was no fraud in the 2020 US elections.

Backing Mr Trump, the party’s top leaders, Steve Scalise and Kevin Mccarthy, yesterday moved to expel Ms Cheney from her post for criticising the former president.

Mr Scalise, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, said he would like Elise Stefanik to replace Ms Cheney as the party’s conference chairman.

Mr Trump, 74, also endorsed Ms Stefanik, who represents New York in the House, by saying “we want leaders who believe in the Make America Great Again movement”. Mr Mccarthy, the House opposition leader, said he had “lost confidence” in Cheney while speaking off-air after a Fox News interview on Tuesday. “I think she’s got real problems. I’ve had it with her,” he said.

Without support from the top brass, Ms Cheney’s political future in the House appears increasingly shaky. A vote on replacing her could come next week. The 54-year-old has not only clashed with fellow party members over election fraud claims but she has also refused to absolve Mr Trump of his role in fuelling the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

Ms Cheney, who was one of only 10 Republican House members to vote to impeach Mr Trump, said this week that those who spread the “big lie” about the election were “poisoning our democratic system”.

Her fate is being seen as a bellwether for the direction of the Republican Party, which is working hard to win back control of the House in next year’s midterm elections.