Dick Cheney, Influential Former US Vice President, Dies at 84

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, reportedly died on Tuesday, November 3, 2025.

He passed away at the age of 84 after a long and illustrious political career.

The influential politician's death was due to serious complications related to pneumonia and a long-standing cardiovascular disease.

Cheney had a long history of heart problems, including five heart attacks and a heart transplant in 2012.

The Cheney family has released an official statement, remembering him as a "great and kind man" who inspired his children and grandchildren to love his country.

“His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed,” the family said, adding that he died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family added.

Dick Cheney, the influential GOP vice president to George W. Bush and chief architect of the "war on terror," has died. He was 84.https://t.co/BnVjNGVdft pic.twitter.com/AT2oBJXV2d

— CNN (@CNN) November 4, 2025

Born on January 30, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Richard Bruce Cheney spent his childhood in Casper, Wyoming.

He is the son of Richard Herbert Cheney and Marjorie Lauraine Dickey Cheney.

His educational journey began at Yale University, but he did not complete his studies there.

Dick Cheney then continued his education at the University of Wyoming, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965 and a Master of Arts degree in political science in 1966.

His political career began in 1965 as a part-time legislative intern in the Wyoming Senate.

This led him to Washington, D.C., in 1969, joining the Richard Nixon administration as a special assistant.

He held various important positions under Presidents Nixon and Ford, including White House Staff Assistant and Deputy Assistant to the President.

Ultimately, at the age of 34, Cheney became White House Chief of Staff to President Gerald Ford from 1975 to 1977, making him the youngest in the history of the position.

Following his tenure in the White House, Dick Cheney was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming in 1978.

He served six consecutive terms, from 1979 to 1989, and was known as a staunch conservative.

During his time in Congress, Cheney held strategic positions such as Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee and Chairman of the House Republican Conference.

This experience laid the foundation for his future leadership.In 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed him the 17th Secretary of Defense.

During his four-year tenure, he led two major military operations: Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East.

For his outstanding leadership in the Gulf War, Cheney was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush on July 3, 1991.

Dick Cheney's career peaked when he served as the 46th Vice President of the United States under President George W. Bush, from 2001 to 2009.

His tenure is often cited as the most powerful period in US history.

Many observers and historians note that Cheney was the first vice president to wield more influence than the president he served.

He played a central role in shaping US foreign and military policy, particularly after the tragedies of September 11, 2001.

Dick Cheney was a key supporter of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the architect of the post-9/11 "War on Terror."

After completing his term as Vice President, Dick Cheney chose to retire to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

However, he did not completely leave the political scene.

Cheney is known as a vocal critic of the modern Republican leadership, including Donald Trump.

His political views indicate a shift or disillusionment with the direction of his party.

In the 2024 presidential election, he openly endorsed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, who was to challenge Donald Trump.

He also strongly supported his daughter, Liz Cheney, in her 2022 re-election bid.

Liz Cheney herself is known for her sharp criticism of Donald Trump and her role on the committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.