Former US Vice-President Dick Cheney Dies at 84

Former United States Vice-President Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and controversial figures in modern American politics, has died at the age of 84.

His family confirmed that Cheney passed away on Monday night from complications of pneumonia, cardiac, and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honour, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” his family said in a statement.

Cheney served as vice-president under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, playing a central role in shaping U.S. foreign and security policy after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He was widely regarded as one of the most powerful vice-presidents in American history, wielding immense influence over defence and intelligence matters.

Before that, he served as White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford in the 1970s and as U.S. Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush, overseeing the Gulf War in 1991.

Throughout his political career, Cheney was both praised and criticised for his hardline policies and his role in authorising the Iraq invasion in 2003. His tenure helped define the U.S. “war on terror,” which reshaped American military strategy for decades.

Though celebrated by conservatives for his assertive stance on national security, Cheney’s legacy was tainted by the controversial Iraq War and the use of harsh interrogation tactics on terror suspects.

After leaving office, Cheney became a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump and the direction of the Republican Party, even endorsing Democrat Kamala Harris during the 2024 U.S. presidential election — a decision that stunned many within conservative circles.

His daughter, Liz Cheney, followed in his political footsteps, serving in Congress before losing her seat over her opposition to Trump.

Cheney will also be remembered for a bizarre incident in 2006, when he accidentally shot a friend, Harry Whittington, during a hunting trip in Texas. The victim survived after being treated for multiple pellet wounds. Cheney later took full responsibility, saying, “Ultimately, I’m the guy that pulled the trigger and shot my friend.”

Born Richard Bruce Cheney on January 30, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, he rose from modest beginnings to the highest levels of U.S. power, serving under four presidents and influencing generations of Republican leaders.

Until his final years, Cheney remained a divisive but towering figure in American politics — a man whose decisions reshaped the world order in the early 21st century.