Dick Cheney, the Republican who served two terms alongside President George W. Bush between 2001 and 2009 and is commonly viewed as one of the most influential Vice Presidents in U.S. history, has passed away at 84.

The 46th Vice President, a prominent architect of the invasion of Iraq and the “War on Terror,” died on Monday evening due to complications from pneumonia, and cardiac and vascular disease, according to a statement from his family.

“For decades, Dick Cheney served our nation, including as White House Chief of Staff, Wyoming’s Congressman, Secretary of Defense, and Vice President of the United States,” stated the family’s tribute, noting that Cheney served both father-son Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who instilled in his children and grandchildren a love for our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing. We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

Cheney is survived by his “beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members [who] were with him as he passed.”

The former Vice President’s daughter, Liz Cheney, is an attorney and the former Representative of Wyoming. She, along with her late father, notably drew the wrath of President Donald Trump when she became a vocal critic of him. Liz was after she was among 10 House Republicans who voted tothat he incited the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney announcing his , then-Vice President Kamala Harris for President over Trump in September 2024.

Speaking out against Trump, Cheney asserted that he could “never again be trusted with power.”

Trump responded by calling the former Vice President an “irrelevant RINO”— an acronym for Republican in Name Only and a term used by some to describe Republicans who are viewed as being disloyal to the party.

Cheney, a polarizing figure, is most frequently mentioned regarding his involvement , and leaves behind a complicated legacy.

In , the then-Vice President was asked how he believed, or wished, history would judge the Bush-Cheney Administration.

“My guess is that the judgment will be very favorable,” Cheney replied, before discussing the Administration’s actions following the Sep. 11 attacks in 2001.

“With 9/11, we have been very aggressive in terms of both carrying the fight to the enemy, going after the terrorists, going after the state sponsors of terror, going after those who could conceivably equip the terrorists with deadlier technologies than they’ve used before,” Cheney said. “The ultimate threat here isn’t 19 individuals armed with airliners; it’s 19 individuals in the middle of one of our cities with a nuclear weapon. That’s the ultimate threat we have to deal with these days. And all of that was brought home by 9/11.”

Now, as Washington, D.C. receives news of Cheney’s passing, tributes are being offered.

Leading these expressions is former President George W. Bush, who characterized Cheney’s death as “a loss to the nation and a sorrow to his friends.”

You can read his complete statement, below:

“[My wife] Laura and I will remember Dick Cheney for the decent, honorable man that he was. 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.

As a young White House aide and chief of staff, a Congressman, a Secretary of Defense, and my Vice President, Dick earned the confidence and high esteem of five presidents. I asked him to join my ticket in 2000 after first enlisting him to help me find the best running mate. In our lengthy discussions about the qualities a vice president should possess – deep experience, mature judgment, character, loyalty – I recognized that Dick Cheney was the one I needed. I’m still grateful that he was at my side for the eight years that followed.

Dick maintained a calm and steady presence in the White House amidst significant national challenges. I relied on him for his honest, forthright counsel, and he never failed to give his best. He upheld his convictions and prioritized the freedom and security of the American people. For those two terms in office, and throughout his remarkable career, Dick Cheney’s service always brought credit to the country he loved.

Dick’s love for America was second only to his family. Laura and I have shared our deepest sympathies with Vice President Cheney’s wife Lynne and their daughters and granddaughters of whom he was so deeply proud. We are praying for Lynne, Liz, Mary, and the Cheney family as they honor a great man.”

Republican Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas has also stated his “prayers are with the Cheney family.”

“Dick Cheney was a dedicated public servant and committed to the safety and security of his fellow Americans,” . “I first met him when he visited my battalion (Gunslingers) deployed to the Sinai, Egypt in 2002, and had the opportunity to reconnect with him years later fishing for cutthroat trout on the Snake River.”

This is a developing story…