Former Vice President Dick Cheney's death drew mixed responses on Tuesday, as many of his critics reacted with indifference or questioned his legacy.
Why It Matters
Cheney, who served as vice president under former President George W. Bush, was a polarizing figure who played a key role in shaping U.S. policy in the years following the September 11, 2001, terror attack, which included the United States' invasion of Iraq and the "war on terror." The 84-year-old died on November 3 due to complications of pneumonia, cardiac and vascular disease, his family wrote in a statement.
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What To Know
Cheney's critics responded to his death on social media with criticism that he wasn't tried for war crimes.
Progressive commentator Mehdi Hasan wrote on X, "He should have died in The Hague."
"Every time one of these mass murderers dies without having faced any consequence for the massacres they ordered, the lives they destroyed, the societies they razed to the ground… I realize how far we are from a world with justice. Rest in hell Dick Cheney. Your legacy is death," wrote Eman Abdelhadi, a columnist for In These Times.
Political commentator Hasan Piker wrote on X, "genuinely one of the most evil people to exist in modern history, i cannot stress this enough. he got zero punishment for his actions. caused incalculable harm to entire regions. millions killed, tens of millions displaced and he got to pass away quietly surrounded by family."
Journalist Caitlin Johnstone wrote on X that Cheney died "far too old and far too free."
"Dick Cheney is dead now, but his legacy lives on. The damage he did is still unfolding. The hegemonic, hypermilitaristic ideology he promoted has become the baseline norm. New swamp monsters have stepped in to fill his shoes and advance the same murderous and tyrannical agendas he advanced, confident that they too will suffer no consequences and live long and comfortable lives in reward for their loyal service to the US empire," she wrote.
Cheney, who had become a critic of President Donald Trump and endorsed Democratic former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, drew criticism from the right as well. One of his conservative critics who responded was former New York Representative George Santos.
"Dick Cheney will meet his maker and will have lots of explaining to do. I wish his family well all things considered, but I haven’t and won’t ever shed a tear for a war criminal of his ilk," Santos wrote.
What People Are Saying
Former Vice President Dick Cheney's family wrote in a statement: "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. Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love 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."
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote on X: "I admired Vice President Cheney for his integrity and his love of our country. I am grateful that I had the chance to serve with him twice --- when he was Secretary of Defense for President George H.W. Bush at the end of the Cold War --- a triumphant time for America and its values. And then when as Vice President, he helped to chart a course to protect America after the dark days of 9/11. He was an inspiring presence and mentor who taught me a great deal about public service."
Journalist David Sirota wrote on X: "Impossible to overstate how much damage this one person did to America and the world — and how that damage created so much of what we’re living through today."
Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, wrote on X: "My prayers are with the family of Vice President Dick Cheney today — his wife Lynne Cheney, his daughters Liz and Mary, and their families — as they mourn his passing."
What Happens Next
Details about Cheney's funeral have not been made public yet.
Update 11/4/25, 10:14 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.