Richard Bruce ‘Dick’ Cheney, 46th Vice-President of the United States (2001-2009) under George W Bush, died on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
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Flags throughout Texas and the United States have been lowered in honor of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who died at age 84 on Monday due to complications of cardiac and vascular disease.
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Who was Dick Cheney vice president for?
Richard Bruce “Dick” Cheney served as the 46 U.S. vice president under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was Secretary of Defense for President George H.W. Bush.
George W. Bush mourns Dick Cheney: ‘a decent, honorable man’
Dick Cheney controversy: Trump silent on former VP’s death
While a statement from the current president typically accompanies an order to lower flags, President Donald Trump and his administration have remained notably silent on Cheney’s death. As of Wednesday morning, there had been no statements from Trump or the White House regarding the former vice president.
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The only acknowledgement came from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, whose comment on Tuesday followed a reporter’s inquiry.
“I know the president is aware of the former vice president’s passing,” Leavitt said. “And as you saw, flags have been lowered to half-staff in accordance with statutory law.”
(1st Row L-R) President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, (2nd Row L-R) former Vice President Dan Quayle, Marilyn Quayle, former Vice President Dick Cheney, and Lynne Cheney attend the state funeral for former President George H.W. Bush at the National Cathedral December 05, 2018 in Washington, DC. A WWII combat veteran, Bush served as a member of Congress from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, director of the CIA, vice president and 41st president of the United States.
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Despite being a conservative Republican, Cheney had become a vocal critic of Trump in recent years. He and his daughter, former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, had declared their opposition to Trump after his denial of the 2020 election results and his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Liz Cheney said Trump had “summoned a violent mob” and “caused a constitutional crisis.”
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Dick Cheney backed his daughter in a 2022 campaign ad, saying,” There has never been an individual who was a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.” After endorsing Trump in the 2016 election, Cheney supported then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
In response, Trump bashed both Cheneys in his 2024 presidential campaign. He said Dick Cheney was “the king of endless, nonsensical wars, wasting lives and trillions of dollars.” The president also insulted Liz Cheney for her loss in the 2022 Wisconsin Republican primary.
“She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, okay?” Trump said during a 2024 campaign event with Tucker Carlson. “Let’s see how she feels about it, you know, when the guns are trained at her face.”
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When are flags raised again?
Flags will continue to be lowered through Friday, Nov. 14, according to HalfFlag.org.
When are flags flown at half-staff?
There are specific holidays and events when flags are flown at half-staff in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website. That includes:
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- Memorial Day, when the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff.
- Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.
- Patriot Day.
- National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
- National Firefighters Memorial Day.
President Dwight Eisenhower also issued a proclamation on the proper times for flying the flag at half-staff when government officials die. That includes:
- 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after the death of the president or a former president.
- 10 days at half-staff after the death of the vice president, the chief justice or a retired chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, or the speaker of the House of Representatives.
- From the date of death until interment for an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former vice president, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, or the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
- The date of death and the following day of a United States senator, representative, territorial delegate, or the resident commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It should also be flown at half-staff on all federal facilities in the state, congressional district, territory, or commonwealth of these officials.
- From the date of death until interment for the governor of a state, territory or possession.
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The president may also order that the flag be flown at half-staff to commemorate the death of other officials, former officials or foreign dignitaries, such as the death of Pope Francis.
— Reuters and Brandi D. Addison, USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report.
