Dick Cheney Dead at 84: The Vice President who shaped America’s ‘War on Terror’

NexTruth November 5, 2025

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, the powerful and polarizing architect of America’s post-9/11 response and the Iraq War, has died at age 84 due to complications from pneumonia and heart disease, his family confirmed.

Cheney, who served two terms under President George W. Bush (2001–2009), was widely regarded as one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history and one of the most divisive. He played a central role in the invasion of Iraq, the creation of the Guantanamo Bay detention center, and the authorization of “enhanced interrogation” techniques that many condemned as torture.

In a statement, former President Bush called him “a decent, honorable man” and “one of the finest public servants of his generation.”

But Cheney’s legacy remains deeply controversial. His support for the Iraq War based on intelligence later proven false reshaped U.S. foreign policy for decades and cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

Ironically, in his final years, Cheney became an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, calling him a “coward” and “the greatest threat to the Republic.” In 2024, he cast his last presidential vote for Democrat Kamala Harris, rejecting the populist direction of the modern GOP.

Cheney, who received a heart transplant in 2012, had battled cardiovascular disease for most of his life. He is survived by his wife Lynne, and daughters Liz and Mary.