As President-elect Donald Trump continues to confront his critics, his ongoing scrutiny of former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has intensified. Cheney, a key figure on the now-disbanded House January 6 Committee, has faced increasing accusations from Trump, who has suggested she should be prosecuted for her actions during the investigation.
Trump recently took to social media, claiming that Cheney had committed serious crimes in her leadership role on the committee. He cited a report from a House subcommittee, which raised concerns about Cheney’s communication with Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump White House aide who became a key witness. According to Trump, Cheney’s actions were not just unethical but also criminal, accusing her of “egregious and unthinkable acts of crime” while leading the committee’s investigation.
While it’s unlikely that a future Trump Justice Department could successfully prosecute Cheney—especially considering the protections afforded to lawmakers under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause—the allegations have sparked heated political debate. This clause shields members of Congress from legal action related to their legislative activities, meaning that even if Cheney had contacted Hutchinson during the investigation, it would be hard to prove any wrongdoing connected to her official duties.
The report in question, issued by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), claims that Cheney’s interaction with Hutchinson may have violated witness tampering laws. Hutchinson, initially represented by a lawyer funded through Trump’s legal defense fund, later testified before the committee, claiming that her former lawyer had encouraged her to withhold testimony. Loudermilk’s report suggests that Cheney’s contact with Hutchinson—while the aide was represented by legal counsel—could be seen as improper or even unethical.
However, legal experts, including former federal prosecutor Elie Honig, have pushed back against these claims, arguing that simply encouraging a witness to testify truthfully is not a crime. According to Honig, there is no evidence to suggest Cheney pushed Hutchinson to lie, and the report’s allegations are thin and politically motivated. In fact, it appears the subcommittee’s goal was not so much to expose criminal behavior but to discredit the work of the January 6 Committee, which Trump and many Republicans believe was politically biased.
While Cheney has vehemently rejected these accusations, calling Loudermilk’s report an attempt to “cover up what Donald Trump did,” her own role in the January 6 hearings remains controversial within Republican circles. Trump has long derided Cheney as a “loser” and a “disgrace” for her pivotal role in leading the committee’s investigation, which many on the right see as a politically motivated witch hunt designed to tarnish Trump’s legacy.
Despite Cheney’s defense of her actions, Republicans are increasingly frustrated with the lengths to which she and other members of the January 6 Committee have gone to place blame on Trump. Many conservatives believe that the committee’s investigation was a one-sided effort to paint Trump as the architect of the Capitol riot, ignoring the broader context of the 2020 election’s aftermath and the actions of other political figures.
As the debate over Cheney’s actions continues to unfold, Trump’s calls for accountability and justice remain central to the larger struggle between the GOP’s establishment and its more populist wing. While Cheney may enjoy legal protections, the political fallout from her role in the January 6 Committee is far from over. Whether or not the legal case against her gains traction, the battle for the soul of the Republican Party is set to intensify in the coming years.
In the end, this saga underscores the deep divisions within the GOP and the lengths to which both sides are willing to go in pursuit of political victory. With Trump’s influence still strong within the party, Cheney’s future in Republican politics remains uncertain as the fallout from the January 6 hearings continues to shape the party’s direction.