Former US Vice-President Dick Cheney, a key architect of George W Bush's 'war on terror' and an early advocate of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, has died at the age of 84.
He died from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease on Monday night, his family said.
Cheney served as Gerald Ford's White House chief of staff in the 1970s, before later becoming one of the most powerful US vice presidents in history under Bush.
In his later years, he became a bitter critic of the Republican party under the leadership of Donald Trump.
'Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honour, love, kindness, and fly fishing,' his family said in a statement.
Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1941 and later attended the prestigious Yale University on a scholarship but failed to graduate. He went on to gain a Master's degree in political science from the University of Wyoming.
His first taste of Washington came in 1968, when he worked for William Steiger, a young Republican representative from Wisconsin.
Cheney became chief of staff under Ford at just 34, before spending a decade in the House of Representatives. As secretary of defence under George Bush Snr, he oversaw the Pentagon during the Gulf War in 1990-91.
He gained notoriety as VP to George W Bush in 2001, playing a significant role in American foreign policy, particularly post 9/11, advocating military action in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Cheney's claims regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and alleged ties between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda have become central to his controversial legacy.
Despite decades serving Republican presidents, Cheney later opposed Trump, vocally condemning his actions and supporting his daughter Liz, a prominent anti-Trump figure.
In a surprising twist, Cheney criticized Trump and supported Kamala Harris in the last presidential election, leading to accolades from some who had previously denounced him.
