Washington: Former US vice president Dick Cheney, a conservative hardliner and a powerful behind-the-scenes operator, has died at the age of 84, US media reported on Tuesday, citing a statement from his family. Cheney died Monday night due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, according to the statement.
According to Ghana News Agency, Cheney is widely regarded as one of the most influential vice presidents in US history. He served in the position under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the secretary of defense under George H. W. Bush. The Republican played a particularly influential role in crafting the country's 'War on Terror' following the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Cheney strongly supported the controversial Guant¡namo Bay detention camp, warrantless surveillance programs, and the invasion of Iraq. He was a Washington veteran long before becoming defense chief and vice president, having served as White House chief of staff under President Gerald Ford and then as a member of Congress from the western state of Wyoming.
He retired from active politics after leaving office, but in the 2024 presidential election, publicly supported Democratic candidate Kamala Harris over Donald Trump. In 2022, he called Trump a 'threat to our republic.' Cheney had long-standing cardiac-related issues, including a heart transplant in 2012.
Born in 1941 in Nebraska, Cheney later moved with his family to Wyoming. He studied political science and was the father of two daughters, including Liz Cheney, a prominent Republican critic of Trump.