The former VP has previously criticized Trump for sounding like a "liberal Democrat." | AP Photo Dick Cheney will support Trump

Former Vice President Dick Cheney will support Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president, he told CNN on Friday.

A person familiar with Cheney's thinking reiterated his statement that he will support the nominee of his party, as he always has.


The announced support comes after both former presidents George H.W. Bush, under whom Cheney served as defense secretary, and George W. Bush, with whom he served as vice president, said that they would not be supporting Trump or attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

Other Republicans have been less enthusiastic to support Trump, with both 2012 nominee Mitt Romney and 2008 nominee John McCain saying they will not attend the convention.

Cheney has previously criticized Trump for sounding like a "liberal Democrat." Trump has been outspoken in his criticism of the Bush administration, particularly with respect to the invasion of Iraq and its failure to prevent the 9/11 attacks.

In the same interview in February, Cheney said, “I’ve said I’ll support the nominee of my party." But he added, "If he operates the way he’s operating, sounding like a liberal Democrat, I don’t think he’ll get the nomination.”