Dick Cheney, former U.S. vice president Died at 84

Cheney, who served as vice president under President George W. Bush — often referred to as “Bush Jr.” — was widely seen as one of the driving forces behind the U.S. decision to invade Iraq in 2003. He was 84.

Before his vice presidency, Cheney held several prominent positions in Washington. He served as Secretary of Defense under President George H. W. Bush (Bush Sr.), and earlier as White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford. Cheney was also elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming in 1978, a position he held until 1989.

From 1995 to 2000, during the Clinton administration, he was Chairman and CEO of Halliburton, a major oil services company later criticized for its close ties to the Bush administration during the Iraq War.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry once revealed during the presidential campaign that both Bush and Cheney had avoided military service in Vietnam.

For decades, Cheney was considered one of Washington’s most powerful yet polarizing figures. In his later years, however, despite his continued adherence to conservative principles, he became increasingly alienated from the Republican Party for his harsh criticism of Donald Trump, whom he called a “coward” and “the greatest threat to the American Republic.”

In a symbolic move during the 2024 presidential election, Cheney reportedly voted for Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate — a gesture highlighting the Republican Party’s transformation from traditional conservatism to populism.