Former Vice President Dick Cheney Dies at 84
"Richard B. Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, died last night. His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed."
Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a towering figure in American politics and national security for over five decades, died on November 3, 2025, at his home in Virginia. He was 84. The cause was complications from pneumonia, compounded by longstanding cardiac and vascular disease, according to a family statement.
"Richard B. Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, died last night," the statement read. "His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed." It described Cheney as a "great and good man" who taught his family to love the country and live with "courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing." The family expressed gratitude for his service and the love they shared with "this noble giant of a man."
Born January 30, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney grew up in Casper, Wyoming, where he served as senior class president and football co-captain. He attended Yale on scholarship but left after a year due to failing grades, later earning degrees from the University of Wyoming. His career began in 1969 as a staff assistant to Wisconsin Congressman Donald Rumsfeld, rising quickly through Republican ranks. By 1975, at age 34, he was White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford, navigating the post-Watergate era.
Cheney entered elective office in 1978, winning Wyoming's at-large House seat in a special election and holding it for 10 terms. As a fiscal conservative, he championed energy independence and defense spending, becoming House minority whip in 1989. President George H.W. Bush appointed him Secretary of Defense in 1989, where he oversaw the 1991 Gulf War coalition that liberated Kuwait from Iraqi invasion in 100 hours of ground combat. The operation, dubbed Desert Storm, showcased U.S. military precision and boosted Cheney's reputation as a strategic thinker.
Between administrations, Cheney led Halliburton Corporation as CEO from 1995 to 2000, steering the oilfield services giant through global expansion. In 2000, he joined the Republican ticket as George W. Bush's running mate, winning decisively and serving as vice president from 2001 to 2009. Cheney wielded unprecedented influence, shaping the response to the September 11 attacks. He advocated for the Afghanistan invasion to dismantle al-Qaeda and the 2003 Iraq War to remove Saddam Hussein, citing weapons of mass destruction intelligence later discredited. His office expanded executive powers, including warrantless surveillance and enhanced interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay, drawing criticism for eroding civil liberties.
Cheney suffered five heart attacks during his career, the last in 2010, and underwent a heart transplant in March 2012 after receiving a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in 2010, yet he remained active in policy debates. Post-vice presidency, he defended the Iraq War and criticized President Barack Obama's foreign policy as weak. He endorsed his daughter Liz Cheney's 2018 House run and advised on national security.
Cheney's relationship with President Trump soured amid ideological rifts. In 2016, Cheney supported Trump reluctantly but later endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, calling Trump a "threat to democracy." Liz Cheney, a House Republican Conference chair, voted to impeach Trump after January 6, 2021, and led the select committee investigating the events, losing her 2022 primary to a Trump-backed challenger. Trump retaliated, labeling Dick Cheney a "ruthless" warmonger who "should be tried for war crimes" in 2022 speeches and posts. He mocked the Cheney family as "the most evil family in American history" and claimed Dick Cheney "hates our country." Cheney responded in 2023, telling ABC News that Trump's election denialism echoed Nazi tactics, urging Republicans to reject him.
As of early morning, November 4, 2025, neither President Trump not the White House has released a statement on his death.
Cheney is survived by Lynne, Liz, Mary, and grandchildren. A private funeral is planned, with public memorials forthcoming.
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