Dick Cheney, the formidable former US vice president and a central figure in American conservative politics for nearly five decades, has passed away at the age of 84, his family confirmed.
Cheney, who once stood at the heart of American political power, served under President George W. Bush during one of the most turbulent eras in modern history.
From the ashes of 9/11 to the long, controversial war in Iraq, Cheney’s influence on global affairs was undeniable and deeply divisive.
Former US Vice President Dick Cheney Dies at 84
Cheney wasn’t your typical second-in-command. He was regarded by many as the most powerful vice president in US history, a shadow statesman who shaped key decisions behind the scenes.
He took control in the chaos of 11 September 2001. While President Bush was evacuated, Cheney remained in Washington, working closely with Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Within weeks, the US military was deployed to Afghanistan, hunting al-Qaida and confronting the Taliban.
But it was Iraq that would define his legacy. Drawing on his experience as defence secretary during the 1990–1991 Gulf War, Cheney pushed the narrative that Saddam Hussein posed a direct threat to the West.
The Bush-Cheney administration argued without evidence that Hussein had ties to al-Qaida and possessed weapons of mass destruction.
That argument led to the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. “Had an obligation to do whatever it took to defend America,” Cheney later wrote, defending the administration’s actions.
However, as the weapons never materialised and links to al-Qaida were debunked, criticism intensified. The war, many argued, had been built on false pretences.
The Human Cost
By 2025, the aftermath of Cheney’s policies will remain staggering. The Watson Institute at Brown University estimates that more than 800,000 people have died due to direct violence in the wars that followed 9/11, not just in Iraq and Afghanistan, but across Syria, Yemen, and Pakistan.
Another stain on Cheney’s record was the treatment of detainees. He was an unapologetic defender of the CIA’s use of torture in the so-called “war on terror”, a stance that drew global condemnation.
Cheney’s legacy is etched in both American resilience and overreach. He shaped post-9/11 security policy, redrew the map of Middle East conflict, and embraced power with ruthless efficiency. But the cost — in lives, global trust, and political division remains sharply debated.
Political Titan with a Complex Past
Born in Nebraska and raised in Wyoming, Cheney dropped out of Yale and avoided service in Vietnam. Despite that, he carved out a formidable career in Republican politics:
- White House aide under Nixon
- Chief of Staff for Gerald Ford (the youngest ever)
- Secretary of Defense under George H. W. Bush
- Member of Congress from Wyoming
- Vice President under George W. Bush
By the time Bush chose him as a running mate in 2000, Cheney had already survived multiple heart attacks.
Known for his stoic demeanour, he famously shot a fellow hunter by accident during a quail shoot, an incident that somehow only reinforced his hardened image. He once embraced comparisons to Darth Vader. And he meant it.
Cheney’s Later Years and Political Shift
In recent years, Cheney emerged as a rare Republican voice willing to oppose Donald Trump fiercely.
His daughter, Liz Cheney, inherited his political streak, serving as a US House representative in the same seat he once held. She faced party backlash after criticising Trump’s role in the 6 January Capitol attack. Her father stood firmly by her side.
Appearing at a memorial event marking one year since the insurrection, Cheney said: “It’s not a leadership that resembles any of the folks that I knew when I was here for 10 years… you can’t overestimate how important [January 6] is.”
In 2024, he made headlines once more, declaring he would vote for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris instead of supporting Trump.
“In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” Cheney stated, adding that he felt compelled to “put country above partisanship to defend our constitution”.
A Legacy That Divides Generations
To his supporters, Cheney was a patriot. A guardian of US interests during a time of crisis.
To his critics, he was the architect of unnecessary war and a champion of unchecked executive power.
His portrayal in the 2018 satirical biopic Vice, played by Christian Bale, painted him as cunning and ruthless. Cheney didn’t seem to mind. He reportedly liked the comparisons to cinematic villains.
“Dick Cheney liked the fact that everyone called him Darth Vader. I don’t think there’ll be an effort on his part to soften his image,” said Jake Bernstein, author of Vice.
End of an Era in American Politics
Dick Cheney’s death marks the closing chapter of a political era defined by sharp ideological divides, global interventions, and the reshaping of the modern Republican Party.
Though gone, his influence lingers on battlefields abroad and in political arenas at home.
And as the US continues to wrestle with the consequences of decisions made in the early 2000s, Cheney’s shadow still looms large.
