Sept. 7 (UPI) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney intends to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris for president over Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.
Cheney announced his intention in a prepared statement Friday, saying Trump can’t be trusted.
“In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” Cheney, a Republican, said.
“He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters rejected him,” Cheney added. “He can never be trusted with power again.”
Cheney said he’ll vote for Harris, instead.
“As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution,” Cheney said. “That’s why I will be casting my vote for vice President Kamala Harris.”
Harris’ campaign chair said Harris proudly accepts Cheney’s support.
“The Vice-President is proud to have the support of Vice-President Cheney and deeply respects his courage to put country over party,” campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said Friday in a prepared statement.
Trump fired back Friday, calling Cheney an “irrelevant” in a post on Truth Social.
“Dick Cheney is an irrelevant RINO, along with his daughter, who lost by the largest margin in the history of congressional races!”
Trump also called Cheney the “king of endless, nonsensical wars.”
Cheney was President George W. Bush‘s vice president from 2001 to 2009. Bush’s presidency was marred by claims of “lying” to prosecute the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon building.
Cheney’s daughter, former U.S. Liz Cheney, was a member of the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and was among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021. She lost in the Republican primary to keep her seat.
She also has said she’ll vote for Harris.