Former Vice President Dick Cheney dies at 84

A dominant force in Republican politics for decades, Dick Cheney’s career spanned four presidencies
UPDATED NOV 4, 2025
Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a towering and polarizing figure in US politics, has died (Getty Images)
Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a towering and polarizing figure in US politics, has died (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Former 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 Monday, November 3 night.

Cheney, who served two terms under President George W Bush, was widely regarded as the most powerful vice president in US history, helping to shape the nation’s response to the September 11 attacks and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

WILSON, WY - AUGUST 16: In this handout image provided by David Hume Kennerly, former Vice President
In this handout image provided by David Hume Kennerly, former Vice President Dick Cheney (L) hugs his daughter Liz Cheney after she won the Republican primary for the US Congress August 16, 2016 in Wilson, Wyoming. Vice President Cheney was formerly the US Congressman from Wyoming (David Hume Kennerly via GettyImages)

End of an era in Republican politics

Cheney’s family announced his passin in a brief statement, saying he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. The cause of death was cited as cardiac arrest and complications of pneumonia.

“Richard B. Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, died last night, November 3, 2025. He was 84 years old,” Cheney’s 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 former Vice President died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.”

A Yale dropout who rose to the highest levels of government, Cheney’s five-decade career spanned four Republican presidencies, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George HW Bush, and George W Bush.

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 3: (AFP-OUT) Former Vice President Dick Cheney walks past the casket of former President George H.W. Bush as it lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on December 3, 2018 in Washington, DC. A WWII combat veteran, Bush served as a member of Congress from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, director of the CIA, vice president and 41st president of the United States. Members of the public can pay their respects as Bush lies in state until Wednesday, when he will be honored during a memorial service at the National Cathedral. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)
Former Vice President Dick Cheney walks past the casket of former President George HW Bush as it lies in state in the US Capitol Rotunda on December 3, 2018 in Washington, DC. A WWII combat veteran, Bush served as a member of Congress from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, director of the CIA, vice president and 41st president of the United States. Members of the public can pay their respects as Bush lies in state until Wednesday, when he will be honored during a memorial service at the National Cathedral. (Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)

His political acumen and strategic mastery earned him a reputation as a behind-the-scenes operator who wielded immense power in Washington.

Tapped by George W Bush as his running mate in 2000 for his extensive government experience, Cheney became a defining force of the administration’s foreign and defense policy, most notably as a key architect of the Iraq War.

Dick Cheney's legacy of power and controversy

After leaving office in 2009, Cheney remained an outspoken Republican voice but broke with his party over Donald Trump’s leadership. Alongside his daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, he warned that Trump posed “a greater threat to our republic than any individual” in history.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 19: (L-R) Lynne Cheney and her husband, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney applaud as they listen to their daughter Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), vice chairwoman of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, speak during a Constitution Day lecture at American Enterprise Institute on September 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. Cheney spoke on a variety of topics, including the threat former President Donald Trump poses to the Republican Party and American democracy. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Lynne Cheney and her husband, former Vice President Dick Cheney applaud as they listen to their daughter Rep Liz Cheney (R-WY), vice chairwoman of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, speak during a Constitution Day lecture at American Enterprise Institute on September 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. Cheney spoke on a variety of topics, including the threat former President Donald Trump poses to the Republican Party and American democracy (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Cheney is survived by his wife, Lynne, and their two daughters, Liz and Mary. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

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