Dick Cheney, dominant, divisive strategist of America’s ‘war on terror,’ dies at 84

The former US vice president’s hardline policies, steadfast support for Israel, and rift with Trump’s Republican party defined a half-century in US politics

Dick Cheney, who served as the 46th vice president of the United States and became one of the most powerful and divisive figures in modern American politics, has died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease at the age of 84, his family announced Tuesday.

A dominant force in Washington for decades, Cheney served two terms under US president George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009 and played a central role in shaping US national security policy following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Often described as the chief strategist behind the invasion of Iraq and the broader “war on terror,” Cheney was also a steadfast supporter of Israel and its right to defend itself, reflecting his deeply held belief in a strong US presence in the Middle East. His legacy remains deeply controversial.

Architect of post-9/11 America

On the morning of the September 11 attacks, Cheney was in the White House while Bush was away. From a secure underground bunker, he helped coordinate the US response and authorized the military to shoot down hijacked planes heading toward Washington. The attacks profoundly shaped his worldview and reinforced his belief in the need for aggressive action to forestall future threats.

In the years that followed, Cheney was a leading advocate for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, arguing that Saddam Hussein’s regime possessed weapons of mass destruction and had ties to al-Qaeda. Those claims were later proven false, and subsequent investigations concluded that US intelligence had been exaggerated or misrepresented.

Cheney nevertheless defended his actions, insisting they were based on the best information available at the time and that he would “do it again in a minute.”

Support for Israel

Throughout his career, Cheney voiced unwavering support for the State of Israel and its security. In a 2007 address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), he reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to “peace in the Holy Land, built on a foundation of security, not surrender.”

During a 2008 visit to Jerusalem, Cheney declared that the US “will never pressure Israel to take steps that threaten its security,” underscoring his belief that Israel had an inherent right to defend itself against rocket attacks and regional threats.

Past Israeli ambassador to Washington Michael Oren recalled that Cheney “just loved Israel” and “got what Israel is… a bastion of freedom and the forward position of the defense of the West, of the United States.”

Oren, who met Cheney while serving in the IDF reserves during the 1991 Gulf War, said the vice president showed “genuine caring and affection and understanding” in persuading Israel not to retaliate for Iraqi Scud attacks.

The two later stayed in touch, and Cheney even hosted a dinner in Oren’s honor in 2008. Oren remembered him as “hysterically funny” and “very warm.”

His interest in Israel also extended into the private sector. In 2013, reports emerged that a US energy firm with Cheney on its advisory board had received an exploration license in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights — an example of how his ties to Israel spanned both policy and business spheres.

Cheney’s views reflected a long-standing alignment between his national security philosophy and his conviction that Israel served as a critical democratic ally in the Middle East.

A controversial legacy

Cheney became a symbol of US power and secrecy during the Bush years, championing expanded presidential authority, warrantless surveillance, and the use of “enhanced interrogation” techniques that critics said amounted to torture.

His approval ratings plummeted by the end of his tenure, though he maintained that his policies were necessary to protect the country.

Despite years of serious cardiac disease and multiple heart attacks, Cheney continued to lead an active public life after receiving a heart transplant in 2012, calling it “the gift of life.”

Rift with his party

In later years, Cheney publicly broke with the Republican Party over its embrace of Donald Trump, denouncing the president in 2022 as “a coward” and “the greatest threat to the republic” in American history.

He publicly supported his daughter Liz Cheney, the former Wyoming congresswoman, in her opposition to Trump after the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

In a striking political shift, Cheney revealed that his final vote in the 2024 presidential election went to Democrat Kamala Harris, saying he believed it was his duty to put “country above partisanship.”

From Wyoming to Washington

Born Richard Bruce Cheney on January 30, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, he grew up in Casper, Wyoming. After a short and unsuccessful stint at Yale, he returned home to complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science at the University of Wyoming — the first step in a political journey that would span more than 40 years.

Cheney rose through Washington’s ranks under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, eventually serving as White House chief of staff in the 1970s.

He later represented Wyoming in Congress for six terms and became House minority whip before being appointed secretary of defense under president George H.W. Bush, overseeing the 1991 Gulf War.

Between his government roles, Cheney worked as CEO of Halliburton, an oil services company, before joining the 2000 Bush campaign as vice-presidential vetter — a process that ultimately led to his own selection as running mate.

Later years and family

After leaving office, Cheney co-authored several books, including one with his daughter Liz, and remained an outspoken critic of both Republican and Democratic administrations. He frequently defended the Bush-era national security decisions that came to define his legacy.

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