Former Vice President Dick Cheney Dies at 84

Dick Cheney, former Vice President of the United States and one of the most consequential conservative figures of the modern era, has died at the age of 84. According to a statement from his family, Cheney passed away due to complications from pneumonia and longstanding cardiac and vascular issues.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man… a noble giant of a man,” the family said in a heartfelt tribute. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country.”

Few American leaders have shaped global events more decisively than Cheney. From the plains of Wyoming to the war rooms of Washington, Cheney’s life was a study in conviction, calculation, and conservative principle. He served as Vice President under George W. Bush, becoming the most powerful second-in-command in U.S. history, especially in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

After 9/11, Cheney became the strategic architect behind America’s global war on terror, including the controversial invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. His unapologetic defense of enhanced interrogation techniques, indefinite detentions at Guantanamo Bay, and the expansion of executive power made him a hero to national security conservatives and the ultimate villain to the radical Left a distinction he wore with pride.

“I feel very good about what we did,” Cheney told Fox News in 2008. “If I was faced with those circumstances again, I’d do exactly the same thing.”

His career in public service spanned five decades, including roles as White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford, Wyoming’s lone Congressman for six terms, and Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush confirmed unanimously by the Senate. During the Gulf War, he oversaw Operation Desert Storm, a quick and decisive mission that forced Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait.

Cheney’s resume reads like a blueprint for conservative governance:

• Defended American sovereignty and preemptive national defense

• Advocated a muscular foreign policy built on deterrence and dominance

• Championed executive authority and constitutional strength

• Promoted energy independence during his tenure as CEO of Halliburton

• Maintained principled, unapologetic opposition to weak, appeasement-based diplomacy

Yet, for all his clout, Cheney was also known for his quiet dignity, dry humor, and deep personal loyalty. In Congress, even political opponents respected his intellect and composure. He remained married to his high school sweetheart, Lynne, for over 60 years, and was a devoted father to Elizabeth and Mary, and grandfather to seven.

A heart transplant in 2012 extended his life, despite enduring five heart attacks over decades. But his political fire never faded. Even after leaving office, Cheney remained a fearless voice for American strength, becoming one of President Obama’s most vocal critics and warning of the dangers of retreat, reset diplomacy, and emboldened enemies.

Love him or hate him, Dick Cheney never flinched. He never bowed. He stood for American security, strength, and moral clarity even when it meant being hated for it. That’s leadership.

“America is still at war,” he said in 2011, after the death of Osama Bin Laden. “We must never let down our vigilance.”

In a time when cowardice is packaged as civility, and appeasement disguised as compassion, Dick Cheney leaves behind a model of unwavering patriotism. He was not perfect but he was prepared. And in the end, he did what few men are willing to do: he chose the hard path to protect the nation he loved.

Dick Cheney is survived by his wife Lynne, daughters Elizabeth and Mary, and seven grandchildren.

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