Richard B. “Dick” Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, has died at the age of 84. His family confirmed he passed away due to complications from pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, surrounded by his wife of 61 years, Lynne, and his daughters. Cheney was a formidable and enduring figure in American politics, whose career spanned decades and whose tenure as vice president left an indelible and deeply contested mark on the nation’s history, particularly in the wake of the September 11th attacks.
Cheney’s path to the vice presidency was paved with a series of high-level government roles. He served as White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford, represented Wyoming in Congress for ten years, and was Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. Bush during the Gulf War. This extensive experience in both domestic and foreign policy established him as one of the most qualified individuals to ever assume the vice presidency, and he brought that weighty background with him when he joined George W. Bush’s ticket in 2000.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, catapulted Cheney into a role of immense, behind-the-scenes power. It was he who initially took command from a secure bunker while President Bush was airborne. From that point forward, he became a chief architect of the nation’s response, championing the controversial “war on terror” and making the case for the 2003 invasion of Iraq based on intelligence about weapons of mass destruction that later proved faulty. His advocacy for robust executive power and aggressive counterterrorism tactics defined an era and cemented his reputation as one of the most powerful vice presidents in American history.
In his later years, Cheney’s political journey took a surprising turn. A lifelong staunch conservative, he found himself alienated from the modern Republican Party he helped shape. He became a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, whom he labeled a “coward” and the “biggest threat” the U.S. had ever faced. In a remarkable capstone to his career, he endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, a move that underscored his dramatic break with the party’s direction and his commitment to his vision of conservative principles.
Cheney battled severe heart problems for most of his adult life, surviving multiple heart attacks before undergoing a successful transplant in 2012, which he described as “the gift of life itself.” His family’s statement remembered him as a “great and good man” who taught his family to love their country and live with courage and honor. The death of Dick Cheney closes a complex chapter in American politics, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering conviction that is both respected and debated across the political spectrum.
