Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and divisive figures in American politics and a chief architect of the Iraq invasion, has died at the age of 84.
Cheney passed away on Monday from complications related to pneumonia and long-standing heart and vascular disease, his family confirmed Tuesday.
A dominant force in Republican politics for decades, Cheney first rose to prominence as defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, directing U.S. forces during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He later returned to Washington as vice president under George W. Bush, where he became the administration’s most powerful behind-the-scenes strategist.
Often described as the de facto chief operating officer of the Bush White House, Cheney wielded exceptional influence over national security, defense, and energy policy. Despite battling chronic heart disease—and eventually receiving a heart transplant—he remained a driving force in shaping America’s post-9/11 counterterrorism policies, including controversial surveillance, detention, and interrogation programs.
“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,” former President George W. Bush said in a statement.
After leaving office, Cheney’s relationship with the Republican Party became strained, particularly as his daughter Liz Cheney emerged as a leading critic of Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Though Trump remained silent after Cheney’s death, the White House lowered flags to half-staff in his honor.
Despite his staunch conservatism, Cheney was publicly supportive of his daughter Mary Cheney, who is gay, saying, “Freedom means freedom for everyone.”
As vice president, Cheney transformed the office from a largely ceremonial role into a powerful policymaking hub. He was a key advocate for the 2003 Iraq War, asserting—incorrectly—that Saddam Hussein had ties to the 9/11 attacks and weapons of mass destruction. His claims later proved false, but Cheney never publicly recanted them.
His tenure was also marked by secrecy and controversy. In 2006, he accidentally shot and injured a friend, Harry Whittington, during a hunting trip, an incident that further fueled criticism of his secretive style.
Cheney’s long career in Washington began in 1968 as a congressional fellow. He became a protégé of Donald Rumsfeld in the Ford administration, rising to White House chief of staff at age 34, the youngest ever. Later, he represented Wyoming in Congress for six terms and served as Halliburton’s CEO before rejoining government as defense secretary in 1989.
On September 11, 2001, when President Bush was away, Cheney authorized the military to shoot down hijacked planes heading toward Washington, as two had already struck the World Trade Center. He spent the day in a secure White House bunker, overseeing the government’s immediate response.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Casper, Wyoming, Cheney was a standout student and athlete before briefly attending Yale University, from which he was expelled. He later earned degrees from the University of Wyoming and married his high school sweetheart, Lynne Vincent, in 1964.
Cheney is survived by his wife Lynne and daughters Liz and Mary Cheney.