Former Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and polarizing figures in modern American politics, has died at the age of 84. His family confirmed the news, saying he died due to complications from pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.
Cheney served as vice president under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, during a period dominated by the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the subsequent global war on terror. Known for his firm approach to national security, Cheney was widely regarded as one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history. He played a central role in shaping the U.S. response to terrorism, including the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and became a leading defender of expanded executive authority and enhanced interrogation techniques.
Before becoming vice president, Cheney built a long career in Republican politics and government. He served as secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush, overseeing the U.S.-led coalition effort that pushed Iraqi forces out of Kuwait in the 1991 Gulf War. Earlier in his career, Cheney represented Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives and served as White House chief of staff under President Gerald Ford. His early political work began in the late 1960s, eventually leading to his role as the youngest White House chief of staff at age 34.
His political influence extended across multiple generations of Republican leadership, though his views in later years diverged from the direction of his party. Cheney openly criticized President Donald Trump, calling him “a coward” and “the greatest threat to the republic,” comments that marked a notable shift from his once-unquestioned status as a GOP elder.
Cheney’s health struggles were well known. He survived multiple heart attacks beginning in early adulthood and underwent a heart transplant in 2012. He described the transplant in 2014 as “the gift of life itself.”
His family remembered him as a dedicated public servant and devoted patriarch, saying:
“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.”
Former President George W. Bush, who relied on Cheney heavily during their two terms together, honored him in a statement:
“I realized that Dick Cheney was the one I needed,” Bush said, recalling how he chose Cheney as his running mate. “I’m still grateful that he was at my side for the eight years that followed.”
“Laura and I will remember Dick Cheney for the decent, honorable man that he was,” Bush continued. “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 was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Wyoming. He attended Yale University before transferring to the University of Wyoming, where he met and married his wife, Lynne, in 1964. He is survived by Lynne and their daughters, Liz and Mary.
