Influential US politician Dick Cheney dies at 84: What is known
Dick Cheney has died in the United States (photo: Getty Images)
Dick Cheney, former Vice President of the United States and one of the most influential Republican politicians, has died in the US at the age of 84, CNN reports.
According to the family, the politician died at his home in the state of Wyoming due to complications from pneumonia and cardiovascular disease. Cheney had previously suffered five heart attacks and underwent a heart transplant in 2012.
Dick Cheney served in the administrations of four US presidents. From 1989 to 1993, he served as US Secretary of Defense, and from January 2001 to January 20, 2009, he was the Vice President of the United States. In November 2004, he was re-elected for a second term.
It was during his vice presidency that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, occurred, after which Cheney became one of the principal architects of the "war on terror," which included the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
What is known about Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney was born in Lincoln, the capital of Nebraska, and grew up in Casper, Wyoming. His father was an agent in the Department of Agriculture, and his mother was a well-known softball player in the 1930s.
He studied at Yale University but left before completing his degree. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from the University of Wyoming.
In the 1960s, he supported the Vietnam War but did not serve himself, having received several deferments from the draft.
Beginning of political career
Cheney's career began in 1969 when he became an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger. He later worked on Donald Rumsfeld's staff and subsequently became an assistant to President Gerald Ford, where he held the position of White House Chief of Staff.
In 1978, he was elected to the US House of Representatives from the state of Wyoming. He remained a congressman until 1989, was re-elected five times, and chaired the House Republican Policy Committee.
US defense secretary
In 1989, Dick Cheney became the US Secretary of Defense in the administration of George H. W. Bush. He directed Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War and the invasion of Panama.
In 1991, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Under his leadership, the US Army was reduced by 19%, from 2.2 million to 1.8 million personnel, and the defense budget decreased from $291 billion to $270 billion.
After resigning from the Pentagon, Cheney worked at the American Enterprise Institute think tank. From 1995 to 2000, he also served as the chairman of Halliburton, one of the largest energy companies in the US.
US vice president
In 2000, George W. Bush selected Dick Cheney as his vice-presidential candidate. After their victory, he served as vice president from 2001 to 2009. He twice served as acting president, in 2002 and 2007, when Bush underwent medical procedures under anesthesia.
After September 11, 2001, Cheney became one of the most influential members of the administration, supporting the invasion of Iraq and the expansion of intelligence agency powers.
Final years and position
Despite his long political career, in his later years, Cheney distanced himself from the modern Republican Party. He criticized Donald Trump, calling him a threat to democracy, and in 2024, for the first time, supported a Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris.
