Cheney overwhelmingly alienated members after refusing to alter her criticism of the former president in the weeks and months after the insurrection, unlike then-caucus leader Kevin McCarthy, who quickly returned to Trump’s side after initially condemning him for his role. in the riot. Cheney became the top Republican on the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack. In 2022, he lost in the primary for his seat in Wyoming.
Cheney has since written a book detailing the groundwork laid by members of her party, including new House Speaker Mike Johnson, that led to the events of Jan. 6. “Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning” will be published Tuesday.
In an excerpt of the interview aired Saturday, Cheney called the Louisiana Republican a “collaborator” in Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. In the full interview Sunday, Cheney warned against sending the little-known Republican back in office in 2025.
“What will happen if Mike Johnson is president on January 6, 2025?” asked CBS’ John Dickerson.
“It can’t be,” Cheney responded. “We are facing a situation with respect to the 2024 elections where this is an existential crisis and we have to ensure that we do not have a situation where an election that could go to the House of Representatives is overseen by a majority Republican.”
