Former Vice President Dick Cheney dead at age 84
Former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84. AP
Dick Cheney, a towering figure in Republican politics and widely regarded as one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history, has died at the age of 84, his family announced early Tuesday.
Cheney, who served two terms as vice president under President George W. Bush—including during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks—passed away overnight “due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease,” his family said in a statement.
“His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed,” the Cheneys said. “Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing. We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”
Cheney battled heart problems throughout his life, surviving his first of five heart attacks at age 37 and undergoing a heart transplant in 2012.
A staunch conservative, Cheney was one of the most polarizing and influential vice presidents in U.S. history and is widely considered one of the chief architects of the Iraq War. The former Wyoming congressman also served both the late President George H.W. Bush and his son, President George W. Bush.
In a statement Tuesday, Bush called Cheney’s death “a loss to the nation and a sorrow to his friends.” He added, “Laura and I will remember Dick Cheney for the decent, honorable man that he was. History will remember him as among the finest public servants of his generation—a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held.”
Cheney served as defense secretary during the Persian Gulf War under President George H.W. Bush before returning to public life as vice president from 2001 to 2009. He strongly advocated for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, citing alleged links between Iraq, al Qaeda, and the Sept. 11 attacks. In later years, Cheney maintained that the decision to invade Iraq was justified based on the intelligence available at the time and the toppling of Saddam Hussein, despite the failure to find weapons of mass destruction.
On social issues, Cheney notably split with President Bush over gay marriage. His younger daughter, Mary, is a lesbian, and Cheney argued that the matter should be left to the states rather than addressed through a constitutional amendment. His eldest daughter, Liz Cheney, entered politics and became a controversial congresswoman, initially opposing same-sex marriage before eventually changing her stance following a long-standing family and political feud.
During the Bush administration, Cheney’s hawkish foreign policy earned him both notoriety and criticism. Democrats often portrayed him as a shadowy force behind the administration’s military interventions, and he was famously portrayed by Christian Bale in the 2018 film Vice, which satirized his influence.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney moved to Wyoming as a child. He briefly attended Yale University before entering politics as a congressional intern in 1969. He held several White House roles under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, then served a decade in Congress representing Wyoming. Cheney later became CEO of Halliburton from 1995 to 2000 before being selected as George W. Bush’s running mate.
In later years, Cheney remained politically active, particularly in support of his daughter Liz amid her feud with President Trump. He publicly defended her criticism of Trump, including her service on the House Select Jan. 6 Committee, and criticized the former president’s actions surrounding the 2020 election.
In September 2024, Cheney went further, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in a statement emphasizing his belief in protecting the Constitution. “In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” Cheney said. “He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again. As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.”
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