Richard B. Cheney, who served as the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009, has died at the age of 84, a family statement confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Cheney passed away late Monday evening from complications related to pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease. He was surrounded by family, including his wife Lynne and his daughters Liz and Mary.
Cheney’s political career spanned decades and multiple high-profile roles, including as White House Chief of Staff, U.S. Representative from Wyoming, Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush, and later as vice president under George W. Bush.
His legacy is deeply intertwined with the shaping of U.S. foreign and security policy after the September 11, 2001, attacks — most notably through his role in promoting the Iraq invasion, expanding executive powers, and supporting controversial interrogation practices.
In recent years, Cheney had publicly broken ranks with key figures in his own party. During the 2024 presidential election, he withheld support from Donald Trump and instead endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris.
Cheney had long battled heart disease, suffering multiple heart attacks over his lifetime and undergoing a heart transplant in 2012.
His passing marks the end of a chapter in American politics defined by bold, sometimes divisive decisions, and a tenure that reshaped the modern presidency.
