Dick Cheney has died – turned 84

Dick Cheney is dead

Jonathan Norberg

Updated 16.05 | Published 12.18

 

Dick Cheney. Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP

He has been called the most powerful vice president in the United States.

Now Dick Cheney, 84, has died.

"He taught his children and grandchildren to love their country," the family writes in a statement.

The Republican leader died on Monday evening from complications of pneumonia combined with a heart and vascular disease, according to his family.

"His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him when he passed away," the family writes in a statement.

Dick Cheney was vice president under George W. Bush between 2001 and 2009.

Before that, he was Secretary of Defense for George Bush the Elder.

Be critical of Trump

Dick Cheney is called by several American media outlets the most powerful vice president in US history.

Among other things, he is described as the mastermind behind the US "war on terrorism" after the September 11 attacks in 2001, which led to the invasion of both Iraq and Afghanistan.

The war in Iraq was one of the bloodiest in the US in modern times, with hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis, the majority of whom were civilians.

The US also lost thousands of soldiers. Despite this, Cheney called the invasion a "success" in a speech at a military base in Baghdad in early 2008.

- It has been well worth the effort, said Cheney.

 

Former US President George W Bush with Dick Cheney. Photo: Pontus Höök

The conservative Republican is said to have maintained his party affiliation throughout his life, but has in recent years been strongly critical of his party colleague Donald Trump.

“There has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” he said in a campaign video ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Shortly afterward, he announced that he would vote for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Dick Cheney turned 84 years old.