Former Republican VP President Dick Cheney dead at 84
Dick Cheney, Former Vice President and Defining Force in Modern American Politics, Dies at 84
Richard B. Cheney, a formidable presence in American politics whose influence shaped U.S. policy for more than four decades, died Monday night at the age of 84, his family announced.
A central figure in Republican leadership across multiple administrations, Cheney served three presidents and left an indelible mark on the nation’s political and security landscape.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Wyoming, Cheney’s journey from a young congressional fellow to one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history reflected both a keen grasp of government and an unrelenting conviction in the exercise of executive authority.
Cheney first entered national prominence as White House chief of staff under President Gerald Ford, later representing Wyoming in Congress and serving as Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush during the Gulf War. But it was his eight years as vice president under George W. Bush that cemented his place in history.
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Cheney emerged as a driving force behind the administration’s national security policies and the decision to invade Iraq, actions that defined an era and remain the subject of lasting debate.
After leaving office in 2009, Cheney remained a powerful and often polarizing voice within the Republican Party. In later years, he became an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump, breaking with much of his party to warn of what he described as an existential threat to American democracy. He and his daughter, former Representative Liz Cheney, stood among a small number of prominent conservatives who endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Throughout his life, Cheney was both admired and criticized for his unyielding approach to leadership. To allies, he was a model of steadiness and strategic acumen; to detractors, a symbol of the expansive use of executive power. Yet few would dispute the depth of his impact on the American presidency and the post Cold War world order.
Cheney is survived by his wife, Lynne, their daughters, Liz and Mary, and several grandchildren.
In a statement, the Cheney family remembered him as a “devoted husband, father, and public servant who dedicated his life to the country he loved.”
