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Dick Cheney, widely regarded as one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history, passed away Monday night at 84 years of age. His family confirmed that complications from pneumonia, along with cardiac and vascular disease, were the causes of death. Cheney’s long Washington career was marked by his role as a chief planner of the Iraq War after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He also strongly influenced American foreign policy during President George W. Bush’s administration. The man first rose to prominence in Washington serving as deputy chief of staff and later as White House chief of staff under President Gerald Ford. He was also a congressman from Wyoming in the 1980s and Defense Secretary under President George H.W. Bush. In 2000, Bush chose Cheney as his running mate and Cheney served as vice president from 2001 to 2009. After 9/11, Cheney pushed for an aggressive foreign policy. He was a central figure advocating for the 2003 Iraq invasion, basing the decision on intelligence that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. However, that intelligence later proved to be false. View this post on Instagram Cheney also claimed, controversially, that the lead 9/11 hijacker met with Iraqi intelligence, a claim never verified. Despite evidence of flawed intelligence, Cheney defended the administration’s actions, saying they acted based on “the best available intelligence” and rejected accusations that it was “distorted, hyped, or fabricated.” In later years, Cheney became an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and a vocal opponent within the Republican Party. Alongside his daughter, Liz Cheney, a former congresswoman, he openly condemned Trump’s conduct, especially regarding the January 6 Capitol attack. Cheney made headlines when he announced he would vote for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, stating: “There has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.” He further explained, “He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again.” Cheney highlighted the duty to put country above party, saying, “As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution.” Dick Cheney, influential Republican vice president to George W. Bush, dead at 84. https://t.co/S3XK6AyyIL pic.twitter.com/m5TIFVMuE2 — FOX SA (@KABBFOX29) November 4, 2025 Even beyond his years as the vice president, Cheney’s influence in Washington remains undisputed. He was known as a staunch supporter of counterterrorism methods, even when they raised ethical questions. He had long battled various health conditions, suffered multiple heart attacks, and underwent a heart transplant. Despite such physical hindrances, he never stopped engaging in political matters or bringing forward his views on the present socio-political condition of the US. His family described him as “a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing.” Cheney’s death marks the end of an era in American politics. From his strong run as the vice president to his contributions in shaping the Iraq war as it turned out to be, his name will never be forgotten when it comes to the history of American politics.
