Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush and played a defining role in shaping U.S. foreign and defense policy for decades, has died at the age of 84, his family announced Tuesday.
BREAKING: Former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at age 84 pic.twitter.com/HFgPTnYoYp
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 4, 2025
“His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed,” the Cheney family said in a statement.
Cheney had a long history of heart disease, having suffered multiple heart attacks throughout his life. His health challenges spanned decades, including a heart transplant in 2012.
Cheney’s political career began during the Nixon administration, where he worked in the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Cost of Living Council.
He later became White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford, making him one of the youngest to hold the position.
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From 1979 to 1989, Cheney represented Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as a member of the House Intelligence Committee and became known as a staunch conservative voice during the Reagan era.
During the administration of President George H. W. Bush, Cheney served as Secretary of Defense from 1989 to 1993.
In that role, he oversaw Operation Desert Storm, the successful U.S.-led military campaign to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait in 1991.
He worked closely with Gen. Colin Powell and Joint Chiefs of Staff leadership in coordinating the conflict, earning recognition for his decisive handling of the first Gulf War.
Cheney returned to government as Vice President under President George W. Bush, serving from 2001 to 2009.
Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Cheney became one of the leading architects of the U.S. response, including the invasion of Afghanistan and the formation of the Department of Homeland Security.
He was widely regarded as one of the most influential vice presidents in American history, exerting significant influence over national security policy and military decisions.
Cheney’s tenure also brought controversy.
His advocacy for the Iraq War in 2003, based on intelligence later shown to be inaccurate regarding weapons of mass destruction, drew heavy criticism.
The use of enhanced interrogation techniques by U.S. intelligence agencies also sparked national debate over legality and ethics.
By the time Cheney left office in 2009, his approval rating had dropped to 31%, reflecting widespread public fatigue with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the years following his vice presidency, Cheney’s relationship with many within the Republican Party shifted, particularly as the party’s direction changed under President Donald Trump.
Cheney publicly criticized Trump on several occasions and ultimately voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
His daughter Liz Cheney, who represented Wyoming’s at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2023, initially supported many of President Trump’s policies but later broke with the party over her criticism of his conduct following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Her involvement in the House Select Committee investigating the incident led to her censure by the Republican National Committee and removal from Wyoming’s GOP membership rolls. She lost her 2022 reelection bid and later endorsed Harris for president.
During her campaign, Dick Cheney voiced his disapproval of President Trump in a 60-second ad, saying, “In our nation’s 246-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”
NEW: Dick Cheney says Donald Trump is the greatest threat to our republic in our nation’s 246 year history.
“In our nation’s 246 year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump”
Fact check: Trump is the greatest threat… pic.twitter.com/EOwBxUgGhG
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 8, 2023
He also called Trump a “coward” over his reaction to losing the 2020 election.
Cheney’s public career spanned more than four decades and included service under five U.S. presidents.
Despite his later political isolation, he remained one of the most consequential and polarizing figures in modern American politics, known for his influence on U.S. foreign policy and national defense.
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