Richard Bruce “Dick” Cheney, a towering figure in American politics and the 46th Vice-President of the United States, has died at the age of 84. According to his family’s statement, Cheney passed away on the night of November 3, 2025, due to complications from pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.
Cheney served as Vice-President under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, a period marked by the September 11 attacks, the launch of the “War on Terror”, and the controversial invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Before that, he held numerous roles—Member of U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming, White House Chief of Staff under Gerald Ford, Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. Bush, and CEO of major energy firm Halliburton.
Born January 30, 1941 in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Wyoming, Cheney studied political science at the University of Wyoming. He entered politics in the 1970s and rose steadily through the Republican Party ranks.
Encyclopedia Britannica
His background in both government and business gave him a foothold that few attained—his later roles would underline that.
When the 9/11 attacks struck the United States in 2001, Cheney was central to the national response. From the White House bunker and beyond, he helped coordinate the federal government’s reaction and began reshaping U.S. foreign-policy.
As Vice-President, Cheney was often described by historians as one of the most powerful in U.S. history, possibly the most powerful in the modern era.
He advanced a strong executive branch, supported expanded surveillance, and pushed for “enhanced interrogation” techniques for terror suspects.
In 2003, he was an early and persistent advocate for the invasion of Iraq, arguing that Saddam Hussein held weapons of mass destruction. When such weapons were not found, the decision became a major source of debate and criticism.
His business ties, especially to Halliburton, and his aggressive policy stances drew strong criticism from human rights groups and political opponents.
Encyclopedia Britannica
In a memorable 2006 mishap, Cheney accidentally shot a friend during a hunting trip—a moment of personal controversy that captured public attention.
Cheney’s health was long-standing. He suffered his first heart attack at age 37 and endured multiple surgeries over decades. In 2012, he received a heart transplant—a testament to his frail health and the high-profile nature of his medical care.
After leaving office in 2009, he remained active behind the scenes in Republican politics, and notably opposed elements of his own party’s direction under later leadership. His daughter, Liz Cheney, likewise entered politics and became a critic of former President Donald Trump.
Dick Cheney leaves behind a deeply mixed legacy: for supporters, a strong-handed defender of American security; for critics, a symbol of executive overreach, controversial foreign wars, and weakened civil liberties. His role in shaping U.S. policy in the 21st century is undeniable.
For many Nigerians and others around the world, Cheney’s era of American leadership had global implications. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—spawned under his watch—reshaped geopolitics, energy markets, and U.S. foreign relations. Nigeria, as a major African country with interests in global energy and security, watched these developments closely.
What This Means for Nigeria
While Cheney’s direct influence in Nigeria was limited, his decisions on global security and energy reverberated worldwide. Nigeria’s relations with the United States, its role in Western-Africa diplomacy, and its energy sector were indirectly shaped by the Bush-Cheney administration’s foreign and energy policies. In the years ahead, as the world re-examines the early 2000s, Nigeria may reflect on how global power shifts influenced domestic and regional dynamics in Africa.
Final Farewell
Cheney is survived by his wife of more than six decades, Lynne Cheney, and their daughters Mary and Liz. According to the family’s statement, they were with him as he passed and will hold private remembrance in the coming days.
New York Post
In the annals of American politics, Dick Cheney will be remembered as a larger-than-life figure—polarising, feared by some, respected by others, but always central. His death at 84 marks the end of a chapter in U.S. history that opened after 9/11 and reshaped the world.
May he rest in peace.
