Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and divisive vice presidents in U.S. history and a chief advocate for the Iraq War, died Monday at age 84. His family said Tuesday that complications from pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease caused his death.
Cheney served under two presidents from the same family, shaping defense and foreign policy during the Gulf War under George H.W. Bush and later redefining the vice presidency under George W. Bush. Known for his forceful style and focus on executive power, Cheney became a central figure in shaping the U.S. response to the September 11 attacks.
Bush described Cheney as “a decent, honorable man” and said his death marked “a loss to the nation,” according to AP News. He added, “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.”
A survivor of five heart attacks and a heart transplant, Cheney once joked about his reputation as a behind-the-scenes power broker. “Am I the evil genius in the corner that nobody ever sees come out of his hole? It’s a nice way to operate, actually,” he said.
Cheney’s influence in the Bush administration elevated the vice presidency to an unprecedented level. He steered policy on Iraq, surveillance, terrorism, and energy while maintaining a reputation for secrecy and control. He defended the controversial intelligence and detention practices launched after 9/11 and consistently argued for expanded presidential authority.
Critics accused him of overstating the case for war in Iraq, particularly claims linking Saddam Hussein to al-Qaeda and predicting U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators. Still, Cheney remained convinced the war was justified.
His political career began in 1968, when he rose through the Washington ranks under Donald Rumsfeld before serving as White House chief of staff under Gerald Ford. He later represented Wyoming in Congress, led the Pentagon during the Gulf War, and became CEO of Dallas-based Halliburton Corp.
Cheney is survived by his wife, Lynne, and two daughters, Liz and Mary.