Dick Cheney Dead at 84 — The “Evil Genius” Who Launched the Iraq War and Changed America Forever

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, architect of the Iraq War, died Monday at age 84 from pneumonia complications and heart disease, his family announced Tuesday.

The former Wyoming congressman, defense secretary, and Halliburton CEO transformed the vice presidency under George W. Bush into a shadow command center, directing policy on terrorism, energy, and executive power from secure bunkers after the 9/11 attacks.

"Am I the evil genius in the corner that nobody ever sees come out of his hole?" Cheney once quipped. "It’s a nice way to operate, actually."

Bush praised him Tuesday, noting "History will remember him as among the finest public servants of his generation — a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held."

Cheney championed the 2003 Iraq invasion, insisting Saddam Hussein linked to al-Qaida and U.S. forces would greet as liberators — claims later debunked.

He declared the insurgency in "its last throes" in 2005, with American deaths eventually topping 4,400.

Surviving five heart attacks and a 2012 transplant, Cheney defended enhanced interrogation, warrantless surveillance, and expanded presidential authority, even as courts rebuffed many initiatives.

He broke with Republicans in 2024, endorsing Kamala Harris against Donald Trump.

"In our nation’s 246-year history, there has never been an individual who was a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump," Cheney said in a campaign ad for daughter Liz. "He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He is a coward."

Cheney's wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed, the Associated Press reports.

MAGA supporters unleashed vitriolic attacks on X, railing against Liz Cheney, moments after the announcement.

The attacks underscore persistent divisions within the Republican Party, where Cheney's opposition to Trump continues to fuel online hostility even in death.