Story highlights
- Cheney told CNN Special Correspondent Jamie Gangel that he has always supported the GOP nominee
- The announcement makes Cheney one of the few Republican Party elders to announce their support of Trump
Washington (CNN)Former Vice President Dick Cheney will support Donald Trump, he told CNN Friday, an important move as the presumptive Republican nominee is encountering intense resistance from senior members of his own party.
Cheney told CNN Special Correspondent Jamie Gangel that he has always supported the GOP nominee and will do so this year as well.
The announcement makes Cheney one of the few Republican Party elders to announce their support of Trump and comes a day after House Speaker Paul Ryan told CNN he is "just not ready" to back Trump.
Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
The Donald Trump travel guide – Donald Trump is truly a man of the world, even if the world doesn't always see it that way. Click through the gallery to see what we mean.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Scotland – Here, Scottish folk touched by Trump's economic investment in their community, leave messages of thanks daubed on shed.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Mexico – Can this fiery Mexico City tribute to The Donald be anything less than homage?
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Germany – Despite its best efforts not to be, Kallstadt is Trump's German ancestral home.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Czech Republic – Clearly not content with being known just as the birthplace of the first Mrs. Trump, the Czech town of Zlin in 2014 staged the country's largest ever pillow fight.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Slovenia – Matching stares! No wonder folks in Mrs. Trump #3's Slovenian hometown have taken The Donald to their hearts.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Indonesia – Bali: Only a Trump-branded tower away from becoming paradise.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Sweden – Mock him all you like Sweden -- this popular Swedish site allows people to give the Donald a blast of trump(et) -- Trump won't stop loving you.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
Ireland – Whether the problem is illegal migration from Mexico or coastal erosion in Ireland, Trump has the solution: Build a massive wall.
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Photos: The Donald Trump guide to the rest of world
China – China could be Trump's great obsession. He must've seen something there that he likes.
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Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served, said this week he would skip this summer's Republican convention where Trump will be formally nominated. Former President George H.W. Bush and John McCain and Mitt Romney, the GOP's 2008 and 2012 nominees, also don't plan to attend the convention.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, meanwhile, said Friday he would sit this election out because he can't bring himself to vote for either Trump or Hillary Clinton.
Graham said he was a "little bit" surprised when informed by CNN's Dana Bash that Cheney was supporting Trump.
"Dick Cheney's a great man. We see the world a lot alike when it comes to foreign policy. I can understand when people want to support the nominee of the Republican Party. I would like to be able to do that, but I just can't," Graham said. "Maybe I'm the outlier here. Probably am. There'll be Democrats who can't support Hillary Clinton, and you know some of them will hold their nose and vote for her. Some of them will do it enthusiastically."