Dick Cheney, the hard-edged former vice president who helped shape America’s response to 9/11 and defined a generation of U.S. politics, has died at 84, his family said early Tuesday.
Cheney, who served two terms as vice president under President George W. Bush — steering the nation through the chaos of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks — died overnight from complications of pneumonia and heart and vascular disease, his family said in a statement.
“His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed,” the Cheneys said.
Dick Cheney, who served as vice president under George W. Bush and became one of the most influential voices in modern American politics, has passed away at 84. Getty Images
Years before his time as vice president, Cheney served as defense secretary for President George H.W. Bush, helping steer the nation through the Gulf War era. Bettmann Archive
Cheney battled heart problems for most of his life, suffering the first of five heart attacks at just 37. Decades later, in 2012, he received a heart transplant that extended his remarkable run in public life.
Dick Cheney with President George W. Bush, sharing a moment during their years in the White House. Getty Images
“Dick Cheney was 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,” his family added.
“We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”
Dick Cheney alongside President George W. Bush at his Texas ranch in August 2004 — a quiet moment between two men who shaped an era. Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Cheney, a relentless conservative force, was one of the most polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and is widely regarded as a key architect of the Iraq War.
The former Wyoming lawmaker served both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, while his daughter, Liz Cheney, followed in his political footsteps, becoming one of Wyoming’s most controversial congresswomen.
Dick Cheney with his wife of many years, Lynne, in January 2005 — a quiet moment shared away from the spotlight. AFP via Getty Images
He served as defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush during the Persian Gulf War and later returned to public life as George W. Bush’s vice president following the 2000 presidential election.
Cheney, vice president from 2001 to 2009, was a vocal proponent of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, arguing that the country had ties to al Qaeda and the Sept. 11 attacks.
Dick Cheney’s official portrait, reflecting his years in the vice presidency.
Even though no weapons of mass destruction were ever found, Cheney remained steadfast in later years that the invasion of Iraq was the right choice, based on the intelligence available at the time and the removal of Saddam Hussein from power.
The cover of Dick Cheney’s memoir, capturing the story of his decades in public service. AP
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney moved with his family to Wyoming as a boy before enrolling at Yale University — a journey he would later cut short by leaving school.
Cheney arrived in Washington in 1969 as a congressional intern and went on to serve in a series of White House roles under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
Dick Cheney with his daughter, Liz, a former congresswoman, sharing a moment that reflects their family’s political legacy. Getty Images
Over the decade he represented Wyoming as its sole congressman, Cheney built a record as one of the staunchest conservatives in Congress.
