Liz Cheney says it's 'no surprise' she and Trump have 'some disagreements' on foreign policy, amid criticism

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Republicans attack Liz Cheney over Fauci support

Conservatives from the House Freedom Caucus accused Cheney of being too deferential to Dr. Anthony Fauci and questioning the president's decisions to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and Germany; congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports.

House GOP Caucus Chair Rep. Liz Cheney on Thursday said “it’s no surprise” that she and President Trump have “some disagreements” on foreign policy, and vowed to continue to speak out on issues, despite facing backlash and criticism from members of her own party.

"It's no surprise the President and I have some disagreements on foreign policy,” Cheney, R-Wyo., said in a statement to Fox News. “As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have no more important duty than providing for the defense of the nation, and I will continue to speak out on these issues."

TRUMP SAYS LIZ CHENEY 'ONLY UPSET' BECAUSE HE'S GETTING US OUT OF 'RIDICULOUS AND COSTLY ENDLESS WARS' 

Cheney’s comments come after the president, early Thursday morning, cast her criticisms of him as her being “upset” because of his administration’s moves to get U.S. troops out of “ridiculous and costly Endless Wars.”

“Liz Cheney is only upset because I have been actively getting our great and beautiful Country out of the ridiculous and costly Endless Wars,” Trump tweeted Thursday. “I am also making our so-called allies pay tens of billions of dollars in delinquent military costs. They must, at least, treat us fairly!!!”

Cheney, the third highest-ranking Republican in the House, has publicly criticized Trump’s foreign policy decisions as well as his not wearing a mask in public, tweeting last month a photo of her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, wearing a mask with the caption: “Dick Cheney says WEAR A MASK. #realmenwearmasks.”

Cheney also criticized the president last month for his reaction to reports that Russia offered bounties for the deaths of U.S. troops.

Despite her breaking with Trump on certain issues, Cheney said that she votes in favor of Trump’s legislative priorities “something like 97 percent of the time,” during an interview on “Fox & Friends” this week, but acknowledged “there are areas — they tend to be on national security — where we don’t always agree.”

A number of the president’s staunchest allies in Congress are now publicly calling out Cheney, with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., even calling for her to resign from her post.

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“Liz Cheney has worked behind the scenes (and now in public) against @realDonaldTrump and his agenda,” Gaetz tweeted. “House Republicans deserve better as our Conference Chair. Liz Cheney should step down or be removed. #MAGA.”

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, also came out against Cheney and in defense of the president during a testy GOP conference meeting on Tuesday. He slammed Cheney for her criticisms of Trump’s coronavirus response and her comments about Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., also decided to weigh in on Cheney on social media, comparing her to Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and accusing her of advocating for “endless wars.” Romney has become a particular target for Trump since he voted in favor of one of the counts of impeachment during the president’s trial earlier this year.

CHENEY SAYS GOP IS 'UNIFIED' IN STOPPING BIDEN, PELOSI, SCHUMER

Meanwhile, Cheney addressed the criticism from her House GOP colleagues Wednesday on “Fox & Friends,” saying that she is “very confident that we will come together on the big issues that matter the most come November.”

Cheney said that while Democrats believe in “cancel culture” and want to “erase American history,” the GOP conference has differences of opinion, which is a “good thing.”

“On our side of the aisle, it’s a healthy thing for us to have those kinds of debates and discussions," she said. "I’m sure we’ll have more as things go along, but, the fundamental point here is that we’re unified in making sure that President Trump is reelected in November, that Nancy Pelosi is no longer speaker, that we take back the majority in the House and that we ensure that we hold the majority in the Senate.”