Will Dick Cheney receive a state funeral? What to know about the former vice president’s memorials
Look back at Dick Cheney’s controversial political legacy
USA TODAY’s Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page looks back at Dick Cheney’s political legacy after his death at age 84.
The details of former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral were released Nov. 7, but it’s not clear if the one-time official will receive a formal state memorial.
Cheney died at age 84 on Nov. 3. He served under former President George W. Bush and is considered to be one of the most powerful and controversial men to hold the office.
Cheney was one of the leading figures in the push to invade Iraq in 2003 and was a longtime force in Republican politics. But he turned into a critic of President Donald Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, saying he voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, USA TODAY previously reported.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Nov. 4 that Trump was “aware” of Cheney’s passing but did not comment on his death publicly that day. A search of Trump’s Truth Social profile returned no mention of Cheney as of Nov. 9.
The former vice president was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1941 and grew up in Wyoming, where he later retired. He is survived by his wife, Lynne, and two daughters, Mary and Liz. Liz Cheney, a former GOP lawmaker, is also one of Trump’s most prominent foes
Here’s what to know about Dick Cheney’s funeral.
When is Dick Cheney’s funeral?
Cheney’s funeral will be held at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 20.
Where is Dick Cheney’s funeral?
Cheney’s funeral will take place at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC.
Where will Dick Cheney be buried?
Cheney’s family has not publicly confirmed where he will be buried as of Sunday, Nov. 9.
How did Dick Cheney die?
Cheney died of complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said. He survived five heart attacks, multiple surgeries and a heart transplant in his lifetime.
Will Dick Cheney receive a state funeral?
It’s not clear. Those who do receive a formal state funeral lie in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
The day after Cheney died, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, said Republicans were reviewing “protocol” about the possibility of Cheney lying in state, The Hill reported. USA TODAY has reached out Thune and to House Speaker Mike Johnson for an update but did not receive an immediate response late Nov. 9.
It is possible Cheney could receive a state funeral, as presidents and other prominent politicians have in the past. For example, Alaska Rep. Don Young, the longest-serving Republican in U.S. House history, died March 18, 2022. Days later, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced he would lie in state.
Contributing: Kinsey Crowley – USA TODAY
