Trump meeting former Cheney ally about primary challenge: report

Former President Trump is set to meet with a former ally of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) about a potential primary challenge, according to a new report. 

Citing five people familiar with the meeting, Politico reported Trump is set to meet with Harriet Hageman, a Republican trial attorney who ran unsuccessfully for governor of Wyoming in 2018. 

Both Hageman and a spokesperson for Trump declined to comment when reached by the news outlet this week. 

Cheney has emerged as one of Trump’s staunchest critics in Congress this year, voting to impeach the former president after the Jan. 6 insurrection and accusing him of inciting insurrection against the government. 

“On January 6, 2021 a violent mob attacked the United States Capitol to obstruct the process of our democracy and stop the counting of presidential electoral votes. This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our Republic,” Cheney said in the days after the attack.

“The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President,” she said in the statement. “The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.” 

Trump has responded to the congresswoman’s criticism by attacking Cheney is public statements and media interviews, threatening to back primary challengers looking to unseat her. 

“This is a ‘hot’ race with some very interesting candidates running against her. Remember though, in the end we just want ONE CANDIDATE running against Cheney,” Trump said last month. “I’ll be meeting with some of her opponents in Bedminster next week and will be making my decision on who to endorse in the next few months. JUST ONE CANDIDATE. Thank you!”