In an appearance on “The Today Show” Thursday, Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney would not answer questions about a potential presidential campaign.
Cheney, who lost her House leadership position by a voice vote on Wednesday, said she would do whatever it took to keep former President Donald Trump away from the Oval Office as she believes he is “unfit” for the presidency.
“He never can be anywhere close to the Oval Office,” Cheney said.
Today Show host Savannah Guthrie pressed Cheney three times if she was considering a run for the nation’s highest office.
Cheney never answered directly but did repeatedly say that she would do “whatever it took” to ensure the former president doesn’t reclaim the office.
“I am going to do everything that I can, both to make sure that that never happens. But also to make sure that the Republican Party gets back to substance and policy and these things are connected, we have to embrace the Constitution, we have to reject the lie,” Cheney said.
“Whatever it takes,” Guthrie said.
“Whatever it takes,” Cheney repeated.
Cheney said she wasn’t surprised with the results of Wednesday’s voice vote ousting her as the House Republican Conference chair, adding the issue of protecting the Constitution is “much larger” than a leadership position in the House.
She said she has much “admiration” for most members of the House, she loves the institution of Congress, and that history is going judge House Republicans for the vote.
“I made it clear that if what they’re looking for are leaders who are willing to perpetuate the lie, which I think unravels our democracy, that I’m not their person,” she said.
Cheney said Trump’s actions were an attack on the Constitution and protecting the Constitution the most important issue facing the country, far more important than a House leadership position.
“it’s a really important and grave moment,” she said. “It’s a moment where we have to decide as a party, whether we’re going to embrace the truth,” she said.
Cheney also criticized House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for changing his positions “multiple times” on the seriousness of the Jan. 6 invasion of the Capitol.
“Look, he hasn’t provided the leadership that we need. And, and as I’ve said, if the price of having his support is being complicit in the lie, that’s obviously not a price I’m willing to pay,” she said.
When Guthrie pointed out that Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York), the likely successor to Cheney in the House Conference, voted with President Trump significantly fewer times than Cheney did, the congresswoman responded that the vote was not about substance and policy, but the “willingness to perpetuate the idea that the election was stolen. And I won’t participate in that.”
Cheney said she was “absolutely” planning to run for re-election in Wyoming and firmly believes she can win again despite the fact Trump received more votes than she did in 2020.
As for former President Trump stating that his top political goal is to find a challenger to beat Cheney, she said “bring it on.”
“If they think that they’re going to come into Wyoming, and make the argument that the people of Wyoming should vote for someone who is loyal to Donald Trump over somebody who’s loyal to the Constitution, I welcome that debate,” she said. “And and I look forward to having that debate for the next 18 months.”
